With Friends Like These
by Siderial
Summary: Who needs enemies? Team RWBY during their time at Beacon Academy. Non-canonical. Eventual Romance.
1. Genesis

**Genesis**

"OH NOT YOU AGAIN!"

Yang had always been a people person. But there was something about Weiss Schnee that rubbed her the wrong way.

Maybe it was the haughty tone. The arrogant way she carried herself. The abrasive coldness that clashed with Yang's own perpetual exuberance. The harsh, brusque way she treated Ruby, _her adorable, insecure little sister._

... Definitely.

"Oh, so now you're on my side," Weiss snarked, hands on her hips.

"I was always on your side!" Ruby yelled placatingly.

"Yeah, what's your problem with my sister? She's only trying to be nice!" Yang defended, mentally adding, '_something a bitch like you doesn't deserve.'_

"She's a _hazard_ to my health!" Weiss said adamantly, stomping her foot.

As Ruby haplessly watched them verbally spar back and forth, Blake blew out the candles she used for reading, before getting to her feet, book in hand. Ruby, the only one to have noticed – considering the other two were still at each other's necks – called out to her fellow literary enthusiast. "W-wait, where are you–"

"As... _pleasant_ as this has been, I really should be going to bed," Blake interjected with a half-grimace. "I suggest you do the same. The initiation process is a gruelling one, or so I've heard." Blake was about to turn on her heel towards her bedroll, however, the look Ruby shot her – akin to that of a kicked puppy – made the normally stoic teen pause. Mustering a small smile, she said, "It was nice meeting you, Ruby. Perhaps we may speak again sometime soon."

The blinding grin that bloomed on the younger girl's face only caused Blake's countenance to further soften. Shaking her head lightly, the amber-eyed girl proceeded to walk to her bedding, leaving the other black-haired female to separate the bickering duo.

Ruby, belatedly realising what Blake had left her with, shifted from ecstatic – from having made a potential new friend (all on her own, too!) – to miserable. She groaned lightly and burrowed her face into her hands, as Weiss and Yang continued to argue.

Needless to say, it was a long night.

* * *

After an exhausting night of dealing with the Schnee heiress, Yang's morning passed by in a blur. She vaguely remembered being rolled out of bed by Ruby – an ineffective manoeuvre, considering her bedroll was already on the ground – before being hoisted off towards the communal bathrooms. The shower woke her up just a teeny bit more, but it still wasn't enough to really jar her out of her half-awake state. It was only until Ruby – dear, beloved Ruby – sat her down in the dining hall and brought her a stack of pancakes, as well as a mug of coffee, that Yang truly got shook from her daze.

Conversation flowed freely between the two sisters, segueing from one topic to the next. The blonde faintly recalled the subject of Jaune Arc and Blake being brought up in-between bites of their meal, but it was Ruby's next issue that garnered all of her attention.

"I just don't see why you can't get along with her. I mean, you're Yang! My older sister Yang! You get along with everyone! Why do you not get along with her?!" Ruby whined, flailing her arms around.

The blonde regarded her companion with a raised eyebrow, waiting for her to calm down before responding. "I don't get along with her because she's a Grade A bit–mmhph."

"Language!" Ruby hissed, retracting her fork, now sans pancake.

Yang choked down the large chunk of food, before reaching for her mug.

"You need to learn how to eat slower, dear little sister. Once that youthful metabolism wears off, you're going to be struggling to maintain your physique," Yang replied sagely between sips of her brew.

Ruby halted the process of shovelling pancakes into her mouth, turning to glare at her sister. Her puffed up cheeks only reduced what little intimidation power her glare held to zilch, resulting in Yang only smirking in response.

Gulping down the food she held in her mouth, the fifteen-year old frowned. "You still haven't answered my question."

The lilac-eyed female sighed. "Why does it even matter, Ruby? Ice Princess doesn't even like you."

Ruby glanced down at her almost empty plate. "I... I don't know. I know she doesn't like me, and I'm _terrified_ of her, but..." Her eyebrows furrowed. "She must have her reasons, you know? Beyond me flambéing her and almost ruining her supply of Dust, I mean." Here she began playing with the little food she had left on her dish. "A-and I just feel like... if we could be friends... I-it just feels right, is all, Yang. The thought of it. Almost as if it were... destiny." The girl's head shot up, her eyes shining, pleading for her older sister to understand.

Yang closed her eyes and exhaled. It was times like these that she was reminded how idealistic Ruby was. "You're a naive, optimistic, foolish little dreamer, you know that?" she murmured. The blonde could practically _hear_ her sister deflate. Yang's lips quirked ever so slightly. "But you're my little dreamer. And so far, I guess you've never been _flat out_ _wrong..._"

"Sis!"

"So! I guess that means that as your older sibling, I have no choice but to tag along for the ride."

The dazzling grin she received almost made her think this would work out for the best. Almost.

"But!" Yang continued, "I am obligated to remind you what a stupid idea this is the entire time. Oh, by the way? Your attempt to befriend Weiss Schnee, bigwig company heiress, is really dumb."

A groan was her only reply.

Yang chortled. "Now come on, let's go. We can gossip about the princess all you want later. Right now, it's initiation time, baby," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

"Wait wait wait! I'm not done with breakfast yet!" Ruby yelled frantically, jumping to her feet so she could dash off for another helping – her third. The blonde only rolled her eyes in amusement, already used to this from their time back home, before shifting her attention to the white-haired beauty across the room who was chatting amiably with a taller, Amazonian-esque female.

_'Destiny, huh? Well, destiny or not... I'm watching you, Schnee. No one messes with my little sister except me.'_

* * *

_'So much for watching Schnee,'_ Yang grumbled internally, picking tiny twigs out of her lush, blonde hair.

The vivacious teen, with all her foresight and planning, had failed to predict that the Emerald Forest had _wickedly_ huge trees. To her, they looked tiny from the cliffside. Her eyes glazed over wistfully in thought. _'Then again, I guess today's proven that I haven't been very attentive...'_ Lilac hued orbs shifted to look at her newfound partner's lithe back.

_'Blake Belladonna. Little Miss Mysterious.'_

Yang hadn't planned on picking the phlegmatic girl as a partner – initially thought too quiet and serious for her taste, really – but life had an interesting way of throwing you a bone.

Having landed a ways away from most of the other freshmen, she figured it safe to remove her sunglasses. As awesome as her aviators made her look, it was nigh impossible to see using them when light barely penetrated through the leaves.

So when Blake had dropped from one of the trees, back turned, she was startled.

The two had agreed not to make eye contact until they were certain they wanted to become team mates. With Blake seemingly more comfortable with the surroundings, Yang allowed the other to take the lead, enabling her to analyse her potential comrade from behind, as well as ensuring that neither of them could make the mistake of locking each other into a partnership.

Judging from the shrill scream miles away in the direction they were heading towards, a certain heiress had already made said blunder. _'Odds are it's either vomit boy, or...' _Yang released a long suffering sigh, _'Ruby.'_ She ran her fingers through her hair, already stressed.

"Sounds like the Schnee heiress is already taken," Blake remarked airily.

Yang chuckled, slightly hoarse. "Yeah..."

"Worried it's your sister?"

"You have no idea."

The black-haired teen shrugged. "She's young, but she looks like she can take care of herself. And the heiress as well, if necessary."

Yang shook her head, before realising her companion wouldn't be able to see the action. She cleared her throat. "I'm not worried about Ruby's fighting prowess. She skipped two years for a reason. It's just..." the blonde stopped for a beat, contemplating how best to word things, "her and Schnee–"

"I get it. You don't have to explain it to me. But really, calling her 'Schnee'?"

The blonde grinned. "What can I say? Her last name just rolls off the tongue."

Blake replied with a noncommittal hum.

The forest grew quiet.

Yang tensed. As if Blake could sense the rigid posture she adopted, she commented, "I see you've noticed. It's quiet. Too quiet."

As soon as the words left the amber-eyed female's mouth, they struck.

The battle was ended quickly – decisively – by the duo. Yang liked to think that it was because Blake and herself worked surprisingly well together, in addition to their raw prowess. However, the ease of the fight also hinted towards it being a prelude to the rest of their time here in the forest. After all, they were nowhere near the temple up North.

Nonetheless, the experience shed some light on certain things.

Firstly, what power Blake held... wasn't natural. Granted, neither was hers, but... something felt foreboding about the latent strength the other girl carefully hid away. Which led her to her next point: _she didn't care._ With the way the raven-haired girl gracefully eliminated their opposition with her chain scythe and weaved through Yang's own close combat choreography seamlessly, she knew,

she _knew,_

that she had found her partner.

So when the blonde lifted her head that had been bent down in contemplation, she found Blake staring right at her with a small smirk and her hand outstretched. Yang beamed, reaching forward to clasp the appendage in a firm grip, and spoke, "Name's Yang Xiao Long. Nice to meet ya."

Her new partner nodded. "Blake Belladonna. Likewise."

Short, brief, and simple. And so it was, that the duo continued to trek towards the North of Emerald Forest, making small talk along the way.

"You know, you don't have to keep staring at my back."

That statement shook Yang out of her reverie. She blinked owlishly for a moment, before realising she had grown silent for the past few minutes as she lagged behind Blake. Accepting the remark as a roundabout form of invitation to move closer, the blonde bounced up alongside her team mate, hoping to break more of the ice.

"So your powers are all shadow-y and stuff. That's cool."

"Yes, I suppose they are... 'shadow-y', and stuff. And thank you," Blake replied courteously.

Yang grinned in anticipation of what she had lined up next. "I guess that makes you the... _Yin_ to my _Yang_, m'right? M'right?"

Had Yang not been paying so much attention to her companion, she would have missed the infinitesimal pause in Black's stride. "Do me a favour," the more serious one of the duo began, shooting the blonde a critical look out of the corner of her eye, "never, and I mean _never_ do that again."

"Aww, but," Yang paused to switch to the sleaziest Italian accent she had, coupled with gratuitous eyebrow wiggling and a leer, "bella, donna wanna see what else I've got up my sleeves?"

The exuberant female gave a toothy grin when she saw her partner actually cringe.

"_No_, Yang – that one was even worse – and if you don't stop, _so help me_– "

"–_I will throttle you and make sure no one ever finds your body, Ruby Rose!"_

"W-wait, Weiss! I didn't mean to! It was an accident! I'll make it up to you, I swear!"

"You can make it up to me by never coming near me again!"

"B-but Weiss, we're partne–"

"_Don't_ remind me!"

Yang moaned, tilting her head back to look up at the canopy. When Blake glanced over, she saw her team mate mouthing 'why' repeatedly as they trudged along, evidently getting closer to Ruby and Weiss.

The amber-eyed lass smiled smugly. "Because you're a terrible person for making those puns, Yang, and you deserve every moment of this."

* * *

**AN:** It's been awhile since I've written something. I'm out of practice.

The start worked into canon because this had began as a completely different project. However, reading through what I had both written and planned out made me realise that it wouldn't work for the other story. I didn't feel like scrapping the ideas I've created for this one, though, hence the birth of 'With Friends Like These'. Not the most original title, but it'll do in a pinch. Moreover, no huge epic combat sequence, because I don't feel like I can do RWBY's action scenes justice at this time. Maybe one day...

Yes, one of those ideas was (shoddily) incorporating Barbara Punkelman into Yang's personality. I couldn't help myself. I really, really couldn't. In fact, I'm trying to create a list of puns as we speak. So far, not doing so hot.

Critiques, corrections and comments are always welcomed, as are pun suggestions.


	2. On Accident

**On Accident**

Ruby Rose loved this. The thrill of soaring through the air with Crescent Rose in hand, unhindered and unbound by fear or mortality. She was in her element. This was what she came to Beacon for. This was why she desired so desperately to be a Huntress. The freedom. The control. The weightlessness. The ability to do anything.

To take the world on.

With a devil-may-care grin, Ruby free fell deftly, approaching the canopy at a velocity most others wouldn't dare test, but a speed she knew all too well – like an old, warm blanket, empowering and _safe_ – before aiming the muzzle of Crescent Rose towards the ground. Bracing herself, Ruby fired off a couple of rounds and slowed her momentum to where it was manageable enough that she could land on the uppermost branches without harm.

At least, that was the plan.

Unfortunately, the fifteen-year old failed to take into account that the Emerald Forest was an untamed wilderness, teeming with flora and fauna and _flora_ that came in the way of sharp branches.

So there she was, suspended by her cloak at least ten metres off the ground. She contemplated firing off Crescent Rose again, or using her sweetheart to hack off the vicious limb that held her to get her out of the situation. However, further evaluation showed that she was caught in such a way that doing either would risk severely damaging her cloak – and her neck, in the case of the former option. It _would_ be her luck to get herself in such a predicament.

Sagging in disappointment, Ruby chose to dangle precariously as she kept Crescent Rose, before folding her arms across her chest in thought. There had to be some way to get out of this mess...

The very faint rustling below her caught her attention. Glancing down, she spotted a lone white-haired female walking along, tense and alert.

Ruby's eyes brighten up. She was saved! By Weiss Schnee! Weiss Schnee, who was a touch... intimidating, but Ruby wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Weiss! WEISS! I NEED HELP! PLEASE? HELLOOOOO," Ruby yelled as she wriggled in place, producing a shower of leaves to vaguely indicate her location. Narrowing her eyes to get a better view, Ruby thought she saw the elegant heiress tense up further, before increasing her pace, but she wasn't quite sure from this distance... Maybe Weiss heard her and was speeding up so she could aid Ruby faster? The red-cloaked girl grinned and began hollering even louder.

Meanwhile, the Schnee heiress was struggling to maintain her composure as her careful gait shifted to one much more urgent in pacing. Pursing her lips, Weiss thought, '_No. No no no no no. I will not risk partnering up with someone as big of a threat to my safety as Ruby, and I refuse to allow someone as youthfully ignorant and inept as her become my team mate for the next _four _years._" Happy with the conclusion she came to, she nodded once to herself, before holding her head up high and striding onwards, determined to ignore the dangling girl who only got noisier. Someone else would help the teen.

Ruby continued screaming. "WEISS? HELLO! I SEE YOU! SEE ME, PLEASE. YOU'RE GETTING CLOSER! YOU'RE GETTING VERY HOT!" She paused for a second and doubled back, feeling a warm blush engulf her cheeks. Flapping her arms, she stuttered, "I-I-I MEAN, NOT HOT LIKE ATTRACTIVE – N-NOT THAT YOU AREN'T – BUT HOT AS IN CLOSER TO ME, BECAUSE I'M UP HERE, HANGING OUT, AHAHA. WEISS? CAN YOU HEAR ME FROM UP HERE? WEI–" Ruby's appeal was interrupted by the sound of wood giving way. "Oh nuggets," she muttered, before gravity once again took a hold of her.

Weiss stopped briefly and had a faint flush on her countenance when Ruby had given her the unintentional compliment. However, the abrupt pause in the younger teen's pleas made the heiress glance up.

Her ice-blue eyes widened as a black-and-red form descended upon her. Stunned, all Weiss could do was act like a cushion for the girl as the two crashed into the hard, unforgiving ground and tumbled to a halt. Groaning at the impact, Weiss brought a hand to rub her head and blearily opened her eyes...

Only to see unfocused grey eyes stare back at her.

Weiss Schnee screamed.

The shrill shriek jerked Ruby out of her trance. She pushed herself off and away from the other's slender body as Weiss sat up, clutching her hands to her chest as if she had been defiled. The horrified appearance slowly contorted into one of pure rage, as the ivory-haired girl went into a tirade. "I cannot _believe_ you ruined my chance of finding someone actually _competent_ and _intelligent_ and _not clumsy,_ you blithering fool! Yo–" her speech was cut short when Ruby slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Shh," the shorter of the two whispered, darting her amber eyes around warily, oblivious to the daggers Weiss's shot her. "Do you hear that?"

The Schnee successor was about to bite Ruby's hand off, before hearing rustling in the distant bushes. Her pale blue orbs sharpened as the gravity of the situation hit her. She nudged the other girl, who carefully got up and crouched into a battle-ready position, with one hand on her weapon, as Weiss did the same.

They had barely gotten on their feet before a hoard of enemies sprung from the surroundings.

The pair instinctive leaned back to back against one another. There was no reluctance or distrust on the heiress part, too busy she was, scrutinising their opponents.

But for Ruby, it wasn't about them. Nor was it about her.

She spared a glance out of the corner of her eye to catch a glimpse of her partner.

Ruby's muscles grew taunt as a vicious smirk threatened to overtake her face. The adversaries that witnessed her change in expression stiffened in unease, but Ruby paid no heed to their apparent nervousness.

Because it wasn't about them, nor her.

It was about Weiss.

Ruby had gotten them into this partnership... and now she was going to prove to the heiress that there should be no doubt that this could work.

* * *

The raven-haired girl leaned on Crescent Rose with a content grin on her face, appraising the bodies littering the forest floor. "What was that about finding someone competent, princess?" she said smugly.

The heiress huffed indignantly, crossing her arms. Ruby found it odd that such a behaviour could still look dignified, but she chalked it up to the excessive amount of training the heiress must have undergone.

"I... suppose I was wrong about you, Ruby Rose," the elegant successor to the Schnee Dust Company began hesitantly. "Perhaps... you aren't as bad as you initially made yourself out to be. Though don't think you're off the hook yet! I hope you've at least read the pamphlet I gave you – students at Beacon Academy are expected to know how to operate with Dust, and I absolutely _refuse _to work with you if you're still as ignorant as you were." Weiss ended her sentence with a withering glance.

Her expression shifted to one of horror, however, when a self-satisfied look appeared on Ruby's face as she teased, "I don't ever remember telling you my last name, _princess._"

"I-I... I wanted to know who was the buffoon who almost ruined my stock of Dust was, is all!" Weiss stuttered, cheeks turning rosy.

Ruby snickered.

The heiress huffed again, spinning on her heel, chagrined.

"Aww, Weiss," Ruby cooed, "I knew you secretly had a heart! Come here!" With that, Ruby lunged towards her new companion for a hug, before stumbling over one of the dead bodies laying haphazardly on the earth.

Her new companion who happened to have whipped around to rebuke the cloaked teen, and was hence unprepared for the familiar red-and-black body that hurled itself towards her.

Weiss was once again re-introduced to the cold, solid ground. However, there was a slight difference in their position this time around...

_'Woah. I can see why people like boobs,'_ Ruby mused to herself internally. Her head jerked up as a frisson of fear turned her blood cold. '_Wai- oh no._'

As Ruby's face morphed into one of pure panic, the proud seventeen-year old's proceeded to glow and put ripened tomatoes to shame. Veins began to pop as the simmering flame Ruby had been stoking since their initial meeting finally erupted into a fiery inferno.

"_If you do not get off of me _right now, _so help me, I will throttle you and make sure no one ever finds your body, Ruby Rose!" _Weiss bellowed.

"W-wait, Weiss!" Ruby stammered, leaping off the other girl so she was no longer straddling her, "I didn't mean to! It was an accident! I'll make it up to you, I swear!"

"You can make it up to me by never coming near me again!" she roared as she got back on her feet.

Ruby's expression fell, even as she held her hands up defensively to ward off the wrath Weiss was about to inflict on her. "B-but Weiss, we're partne–"

"_Don't_ remind me!" she hissed, the icy-blue of her eyes flashing dangerously and getting more frigid as she stalked towards her prey.

Movement in the shrubbery from the edge of her peripheral vision caught her attention. Ruby sprinted to it, uncaring if it were friend or foe, because _anything_ was safer than an enraged Weiss Schnee.

The voluminous blonde hair she spotted spurred her to run faster.

"YANG, SAVE ME!" the youth wailed, with the Schnee heiress hot on her heels.

Ducking behind her older sister, the slightly trembling form of Ruby Rose peeked out from her human shield to watch the irate Weiss glower at her.

Yang sighed tiredly, eyeing her nonchalant partner who scanned the vicinity.

"What a nice day to be out," Blake observed flippantly. A whimper, growl and groan were her only responses. "No? Shame. I wonder why it's going so badly for the rest of you." Before anyone could chime in, she continued whimsically, "We should continue heading North. Preferably at a faster pace; I have a feeling we don't want to be stuck out here when night falls." With that, she walked onwards.

"You're right. I don't want to be here any longer than I have to," Weiss commented icily. With one final glare at Ruby, she turned and followed Blake.

Ruby relinquished the safety of her sister-shield in favour of meekly trailing behind her seething partner, trying desperately to appease the older girl, who only growled and snapped in retaliation.

Yang rubbed her temple with her fingers, feeling a migraine coming on. _'Who should I off first: Schnee, Ruby, or myself?'_

* * *

**AN:** Short chapter is short.

Headcanons: Ruby loves that cloak as much as Crescent Rose. No ripping in a situation that's not dire. Ruby may also now has a fascination for breasts. She's not quite sure. Weiss is classically trained in the art of tsundere. I expect that to be completely blown out of the water by the end of Season 1, but... I like writing tsunderes.

Something I probably should've mentioned prior: the ships I've decided on are Ruby/Weiss (no, really?) and probably Yang/Blake. I'll likely throw in a bit of ship tease and a lot of camaraderie regardless, though. Because they aren't going to be concrete pairs anytime soon, I won't put it up in the summary so as to avoid disappointing avid shippers.

A huge thank you to _everyone_ who's read, reviewed, followed and favourited. You guys are all awesome.

Except you, Kim. Go away, you suck.

(Oh bollocks, thanks for spotting that derp, Zari. SHH NOTHING HAPPENED.)


	3. In Commemoration

**In Commemoration**

Blake walked into the locker room to find everything in disarray: locker doors dented and left hanging open, weapon parts scattered on the floor. Glancing around for the source of the destruction, her eyes landed on a voluptuous blonde who was tearing away at a locker like a woman possessed. Raising an eyebrow, Blake asked cautiously as she tentatively approached the feral female, "Are you... okay, Yang?"

Blake reared back when she was met with bloodshot eyes. "No, I'm not! I can't find Ember Celica anywhere!" Yang shrieked.

Blake's eyebrow remained quirked.

The frazzled girl went back to ransacking another locker as she explained, "You know, my gauntlets. I can't find them anywhere!"

"Are you sure they aren't in your locker?" Blake asked, folding her arms and shifting her weight to rest on her right leg.

Yang looked up to shoot Blake a dirty look. "Look, I know I have my moments of ditziness–"

"Moments?" the bow-wearing female interjected with an almost imperceptible smile.

"–_but_ you of all people should know that I'm better than _forgetting_ where I left my weapon at," she grunted while prying open another locker.

Blake thought for a second, before bobbing her head. "…You still haven't answered my question, though. Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. They're not there," Yang said matter-of-factly. Turning back to the task at hand, she continued, "Now less talking, more helping!"

Blake shrugged. "It's not my fault if you were irresponsible enough to lose Ember Celica," she replied nonchalantly as she walked to her own locker opposite the one Yang rifled through. Opening the door, she was met with the sight of... nothing.

"... It's gone. It's gone..." Blake murmured to herself, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Yang looks over her shoulder before exclaiming, "BY JOVE, WE'VE GOT A CASE TO SOLVE, WATSON!"

"Gambol Shroud... Where..."

The blonde strode to her partner and grabbed her roughly by the arm, declaring valiantly, "Come now, Watson! WE GO!"

Pulling her stupefied teammate along, Yang trudged towards the training grounds with fire in her eyes. She would find the culprit, she would, and when she did... they would feel her wrath. Blake, still somewhat stunned that someone could sneak Gambol Shroud away from under her nose, allowed her furious partner to drag her around like a rag doll.

As soon as the duo arrived at the grounds, Yang's eyes glinted malevolently as she scanned the area, evaluating the few people left in their batch. After the initiation process in the Emerald Forest, the freshmen roster had seen a severe cut in the number of students still... around. As such, it was easy to see that everyone else was in attendance and with their equipment.

Everyone except Ruby and Weiss.

Blake and Yang looked briefly at each other before their expressions twisted into similar scowls. Without a word, the pair turned swiftly on their heels in synchrony and darted back into the Academy, with only one objective in mind.

Get to Ruby and Weiss's dorm room.

The predatory duo tore through the pristine halls like bloodhounds, focused on the trail they've picked up. As they approached the dormitory, they sped up further, intent on finding the person who took their belongings. Turning a corner, they slid so as to maintain as much momentum...

Only to bump into one Weiss Schnee.

The three spilled into a heap on the floor, limbs tangled.

Fuelled by adrenaline, Yang was the first to slip out of the mess and stumble to her feet. She shook her head to clear the fog that came with tackling someone at near maximum velocity, before realising just _who_ it was she crashed into.

"You," she snarled, baring gritted teeth as she stomped towards the still dazed heiress, picking her up by the lapels of her jacket. "Where is Ember Celica?"

"And Gambol Shroud," Blake added in a ticked off tone, brushing off the dust that clung to her clothes from the fall.

Weiss shoved Yang back. "Firstly, _don't _touch me, you brute," Weiss snapped, fixing her coat. "And I wouldn't know where your weapons are. I'm trying to find Myrtenaster as well. _And_ my fool of a partner–"

"My sister is not a _fool_ you conceited–"

"–is nowhere to be found," Weiss finished evenly, lifting an eyebrow in challenge.

Yang paused, pressing her lips together. She had suspected this was the case, but...

"Did you check your room, Weiss?" Blake inquired, eyes hardened.

The heiress nodded. "I just left."

"We need to find Ruby," Blake said impassively.

"I was about to head for the classrooms," Weiss informed the two. "One of the professors told me she was last seen heading that way."

The raven-haired female dipped her head in understanding, before tilting it left to indicate for Weiss to follow her. The two proceeded to walk briskly towards the stretch of rooms nearby, leaving Yang behind to slog along.

* * *

The trio had been searching Beacon Academy's multitude of classrooms for the past hour, with no trace of their cloaked friend in sight. Huffing, Weiss slammed another door open, only to spin around even more agitated and stalk off to the next closed off class.

Yang ran a hand through her locks wearily. "You're going to break something, Schnee."

"I'm going to break your little sister is what I'm going to do. I cannot believe she took all our weapons."

Blake speculated on how exactly the heiress would 'break' Ruby. The thoughts she began entertaining were... interesting to say the least. They almost brought a smirk to her lips.

Almost.

The blonde moved her hand to massage her nose bridge. "I'm sure that Ruby had a reason for doing so, no matter how stupid it is."

Weiss snorted.

Sighing, Yang glanced around, eyes unfocused. "Where is that little twerp? Blake, you got anythi– what are you doing."

Blake was knelt on the floor, her ear planted firmly on the tiling. After lifting her upper body up to look at Yang, she jerked her head multiple times towards a door, and then Weiss, before getting up slowly.

Understanding what her partner wanted her to do, the blonde slunk to the irate – still door busting – Weiss and tapped her on the shoulder. Yang pointed a thumb in the direction of the entrance Blake was now stalking towards, indicating that they should do the same.

Both of them carefully tiptoed to the door, mindful of any sounds that could tip them off. When they reached the opening, Blake placed her hand on the doorknob, using the other to signal when they should simultaneously enter with a show of three fingers.

The other two nodded.

'One,' Blake mouthed as Yang began to hunch forward, ready to pounce.

'Two.' Weiss tensed, shifting her stance to one slightly less reckless than the amber-eyed teen's, but still as aggressive.

"Three!" Blake shouted, twisting the knob and forcing the door wide open, not at all surprised that she didn't meet any sort of resistance. The other two girls bolted in shortly after, muscles coiled, ready to strike.

Only to stand there, aiming dumbfounded stares at the scarlet cloaked girl's back as the figure delicately buffed and polished the rapier in her hand.

Ruby continued to croon, too engrossed in the task of cleaning Myrtenaster that she missed the ruckus behind her.

However, she wasn't distracted enough to miss the hands that firmly gripped her shoulders.

Caught off guard, the fifteen-year old jumped out of her seat with a squeal, clutching Myrtenaster's handle in a death grip as she whipped around, swinging the now immensely sharp blade at her assailant.

Yang wrenched back, barely saving her beloved tresses from an impromptu trim.

Ruby gasped loudly, stumbling over herself as she struggled to apologise for almost lopping her sister's hair off. The blonde, in the mean time, settled with caressing her prized mane.

"There there, you're safe. Mommy won't ever let you get hurt again," she whispered to her locks.

Noticing the almost disturbing way her partner coddled her hair – as well as the circumstances surrounding the situation – Blake couldn't help but take a leaf out of her friend's book. "Huh. Well I guess this is what you could call... a close shave," she said with a straight face.

Yang dropped her hair and swivelled around to stare at Blake dead in the eye. "_No,_" she stressed. Blake's mouth twitched, turning into a small smirk when Weiss chortled.

Upset that she was outnumbered, Yang whirled back to face Ruby, ready to reprimand her little sister... only to be met with big, round, watery eyes and quivering lips.

Yang flinched at the deathly adorable sight. Squeezing her eyes shut, she recoiled, yelling, "That's cheating, Ruby!"

"B-b-but Yang..." Ruby mewled.

"Someone help!" Yang cried dramatically, "She's too strong! I... need... backup!"

Weiss rolled her eyes and pushed the more curvaceous teen aside. "Stand back. I'll handle this," she said, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

Just as Weiss was about to lay into Ruby for taking all their weapons, the pair of large, grey, innocent, _mesmerising_ eyes directed themselves at her. Weiss felt herself unravelling under the bewitching stare, but forced herself to stay strong. She was Weiss Schnee. She would not lose to–

Ruby lifted up a gleaming Myrtenaster to Weiss's line of sight, extending it towards the other teen. As Weiss reverently reclaimed her now blemish free possession, her own ice-blue orbs darted to scan Ruby's face...

To see a nervous, yet all too endearing girl eagerly waiting for praise like a little puppy.

Weiss melted.

"I..." she breathed out, awed. No one had ever done something as considerate and thoughtful as Ruby did out of the kindness of their heart. For _Weiss._ Not Weiss _Schnee._

"MAYDAY, MAYDAY! WE LOST SCHNEE!" Yang howled, pushing Blake forward so as to knock Weiss away. "Code Red! _Code Red! _You're all we have left, Blake!"

Blake found herself gazing down at a wide-eyed Ruby. Her face stayed expressionless.

_'Holy shiz, this might actually work,__'_ Yang thought to herself, starstruck by the unyielding figure that was Blake Belladonna.

That is, until her ebony-haired partner sagged and muttered, voice drained, "Thank you for taking care of Gambol Shroud, Ruby."

Ruby beamed.

* * *

The trio took their time to admire the splendid work Ruby had done, calmed by the comforting weight of their weapons and the taxing encounter with the cloaked girl beforehand; there were no surfaces left unpolished or left wanting.

"So you took them without our permission because you wanted to _surprise_ us? As a show of goodwill?" Yang asked, incredulity colouring her tone.

Ruby nodded earnestly. "To commemorate our team's official creation! Go Team RWBY!"

Yang bopped her little sister on the back of her head, earning a satisfying yelp.

Weiss sighed. "A surprise – as charming as it was – wasn't really necessary, Ruby. Not that I don't appreciate the gesture, but I would have preferred it if you had asked beforehand."

Ruby looked at her partner with an unreadable stare. A few beats passed before Weiss began fidgeting. As the older teen approached the point where rambling to save her hide seemed good, Ruby struck. "So... you don't like it?" she wheedled, swaying her body left and right with her hands clasped behind her back as she drew little circles on the ground with the toes of one foot.

"N-no, I liked it," Weiss responded, cracking a little. "But–"

The pout she received stopped anything else she had to add. Eyeing her surprisingly conniving partner warily, the heiress twitched when she saw Ruby's arms begin to lift up in a pose she was becoming all too familiar with.

"Can I get a hug, then?" Ruby implored.

Blake's eyebrows shot up in surprise, while Yang's jaw dropped. Who knew the meek little girl they thought they knew could be so bold?

Weiss winced, her eyes darting to the right, aware of the presence of their other teammates. "Ruby..."

"Please? Weiss?"

Releasing a shaky breath, she hesitantly raised her arms, which only got to about halfway what most would deem 'proper hugging etiquette arm height', when Ruby embraced her.

After a few moments, Ruby let go of her now flushed partner to face her sister.

The impish grin wouldn't leave Yang's face, even as Ruby tackled her to the ground with a hug. Wrapping her arms around her little sister, the blonde mused over how quickly the girl had managed to defrost the ice princess. _'Schnee must've been blown away by Ruby's fighting skills – which she picked up from yours truly.'_

So caught up she was in thought that she didn't notice the way Ruby squirmed around in her hold. That is, until she felt a solid weight on her bust.

Looking down, she saw her sister burrow her face into her rather ample chest. Blushing to her roots, she exclaimed, "What the hell, Ruby?!"

Anything Ruby had to say in defence was muffled by Yang's assets.

"Speak up, we can't hear you over the sound of breast," Blake deadpanned.

Yang was mortified. Her arms went limp, slipping off Ruby's back.

A couple of beats passed before Ruby climbed off her older sister. "Boobs are nice," she answered simply.

Blake thought her partner's impression of a goldfish was rather spot-on.

"See what I have to deal with?" Weiss sighed, not in the least ruffled by what she just witnessed.

The voice of the Schnee heiress snapped Yang out of her trance. "This is your fault," the blonde said, climbing to her feet, "You're the one who introduced her to boobs in the forest."

Weiss stepped back, affronted. "I did not _introduce_ her to boobs; puberty did! It's not my fault she missed it!"

"Hey, don't diss my little sister's assets like that!"

"I wasn't _talking _about her chest size, I was talking about her maturity! Something I guess _you_ wouldn't understand."

"Woah woah woah, hold up one second–"

"Can't take the heat, Blondie?" Weiss smirked, inching closer towards the blonde.

"Do you not see me, Princess? I _am_ 'the heat'," Yang rebutted, now standing nose-to-nose with the heiress. "And I swear, if this is my sister's new fixation–"

"Control your sister better, then!"

"She's not a _dog_, Schnee. Not like you," Yang shot back, chest puffing out in pride at the witty retort.

Weiss crossed her arms. "She looked like a puppy from where I was standing, Blondie. Someone's on a leash, but it sure isn't Ruby."

Yang's eyes narrowed. "I'll show you who'll be on an _IV drip–"_

"Oh don't even start–"

As she watched a frantic Ruby try to separate the two squabbling females, Blake was hit with a faint sense of nostalgia.

A small smile graced her lips.

* * *

**AN:** Headcanon: Blake reads quite a bit of erotica and knows where all this is going. She also secretly loves the pranks, jokes and mayhem that comes with Team RWBY. Ruby – despite being an introvert – thrives on physical contact with people she likes. Weiss is definitely the one who develops a crush first. Also, Weiss and Yang are best vitriolic best buds. And no one can resist moe-Ruby when she _really_ tries. Except maybe Yang on a good day. This wasn't a good day.

I expect _all_ my headcanons and characterisations to be debunked.

I feel bad for shafting Blake this chapter (it was supposed to be hers), but Yang was too strong. I'll write something for you eventually, Blake. Really.

Thank you to everyone who's taken the time to read, review, favourite and follow. The positive reception I've received is amazing. You guys rock. (Also, thanks to Kim for 'proofreading'. Didn't help one bit, FYI.) Critiques are welcomed.

(Was I the only one who went 'I CAN SHOW YOU THE WORLD' 'TELL ME PRINCESS NOW WHEN DID YOU LAST LET YOUR HEART DECIDE?' when Ruby did her hand wave in Episode 5. It was _perfect_.)


	4. Sugar Rush

**Sugar Rush**

"I'm telling you, you need to let go of that... thing you have with Crescent Rose. It's not healthy," Yang berated.

Ruby gasped. "But I _love_ her, Yang. You can't break _true love. _And you can't lecture me about this when you've started carrying Ember Celica everywhere just because I took them that one time," Ruby replied, struggling to keep pace with her sister's long strides as they walked down the dormitory halls towards the common area.

"I do not carry Ember Celica _everywhere,_" Yang denied, fingers twitching. Her forehead creased a little as she fought against the instinct to brush her finger pads against her wristlets.

Noticing the blonde's struggles, Ruby smirked.

"Oh shut up," Yang barked.

"I didn't say anything," Ruby replied innocently, jauntily skipping ahead of the mildly agitated blonde.

The older teen growled as she hastened her pace. "Ru–"

"–by, Ruby, Ruby!" Jaune Arc yelled as he careened around a corner. "You won't believe what just happened!"

"Jaune?" Ruby murmured, slowing to a stop. This allowed Yang to catch up with her little sister. Turning her head to look at the crimson-cloaked female, she asked, "What's the deal with vomit boy?"

Ruby shrugged. Her eyebrows furrowed when Jaune – in his haste – tripped over his own feet and skidded to a stop in front of the two girls. Glancing up, he was met with the faces of an unamused blonde and her bemused little sister.

He pushed himself hurriedly to his feet, sweeping off the grime that adhered to his garb. Jaune cleared his throat into a closed fist sheepishly.

"What's up, Jaune?" Ruby prompted.

"O-oh, right!" he stuttered, shrinking away a little at the burning stare he received from Yang. "You'll never guess what I got!"

"What?"

He took a deep breath to try and collect himself, but could only release it in a rush, too ecstatic with the news he had to share. "How does a _year's supply_ of _free_ Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes sound?!"

Ruby's demeanour perked up as her eyes shone with childish glee. "No way," she whispered.

Jaune's chest swelled up as his close friend gazed at him in rapture. Meanwhile, Yang groaned and spun around on her heel. "Nope. I'm out of here. Not dealing with this again, sis. Call me when you're sober," she called out, never once turning back.

However, neither Jaune nor Ruby heard her. Despite being well into their teens, the duo shared – if nothing else – one common trait: their mind construct being that of a young child's.

"No _way._ How did you get that?!" Ruby squealed.

The male blew on his knuckles and rubbed them on his chest, a cocky smirk etched on his face. "You know, schmoozed a girl or two. No biggie," he replied nonchalantly.

The grey-eyed girl slugged him on his arm, sending the boy stumbling back. He clutched his now numb limb as Ruby laughed. "You're hilarious, Jaune. But seriously, how?"

He chortled reluctantly alongside his boisterous friend, ego bruised. _'Does she really think I can't chat with the ladies?' _he thought with a wince. Straighten up from his defensive posture, he responded. "Pyrrha gave it to me. You know how she used to be on the cover of the boxes?"

Ruby nodded vigorously.

"Well, the contract came along with a year's supply of their cereal. Since she's a health nut, she didn't have any use for the stuff and left it to collect dust in a warehouse..." Jaune's face broke into a grin. "Until she met me, that is! Convinced her to send it all to Beacon so nothing would go to waste."

He ran a hand through his tousled hair, trying to pull off a rakish look but failing miserably. "If you wanted to, I suppose I could... hook a friend up. Because as a friend of Jaune Arc, 'tis only fair I allow you a share of my spoils, no?"

Ruby engulfed Jaune in a hug, lifting him up and twirling him around effortlessly. "Thank you thank you thank you! You're the best friend ever!"

Ruby squeezed her arms even tighter as her mind drifted off, each thought getting her more pumped than the last. _'How many boxes would be a 'year's worth' anyway? There has to be at least ten cartons of the stuff. Ooh ooh, and imagine all the _toys!_ This is the best day ever. Even better than the day I discovered boo- well..._" Ruby's internal rambling was interrupted by her friend's wheezing.

"Ruby," Jaune croaked, "you're... crushing... me."

"Oh!" she yelled, abashed at her behaviour. "Sorry about that, Jaune."

The blonde hunched over, carefully feeling his rib cage. "It's no problem," he rasped. "So... how about those marshmallow flakes?"

He yelped as his arm – and hence, body – was tugged violently by the feverish girl towards the dining hall.

* * *

Ruby was bouncing in her seat. Moments ago, Jaune had darted off to get a hold of some of 'the goods', as he had aptly named them, leaving Ruby alone in the dining hall to stew in her excitement.

Her eyes brightened when she saw the blonde bumble in with boxes stacked precariously in his arms. Approaching the boy, she snagged them and walked back towards the table she had claimed without missing a beat. "Do you mind getting the milk? I don't know where they store it."

At the sight of Ruby so nimbly handling the task, Jaune sighed wearily. "Yeah, don't worry. I've got it."

Trudging back in the direction he came from, he muttered, "Always the sidekick."

When Jaune finally returned to the hall, two jugs of milk in hand, he was welcomed by Ruby gorging herself with cereal. "Hey, you could've waited!"

A sheepish smile was all he got in return before Ruby went back to demolishing her first box of sugary processed wheat.

Sitting himself across her, he went to work assembling his own bowl of marshmallow flakes.

Ruby swallowed the mouthful of cereal she had stuffed herself with. "So, where did they keep all this stuff?"

Jaune pointed a thumb at the direction he came from. "There's a huge pantry over that-a-way stocked with everything you could possibly imagine. They usually only allow the fourth-years access to it – something about maturity and responsibility and them never being around or whatever – but..." he leaned over and spoke softly, "I found out about it when I trailed the truck guys."

"Everything, huh?" Ruby murmured. Now slightly sated, she leisurely ate a spoonful of cereal, chewing slowly as a dastardly idea formed in her head. _'I should tell Yang about this.'_

"Mhm, everything," Jaune replied through a mouthful of his own slurry of flakes and milk.

The duo continued to mow through box upon box of the saccharine breakfast food, with idle chatter in-between bites.

Ruby reached for another box – their last that Jaune had brought – of cereal and shook it out, only to find nothing remained. Eyes shifting around, she took in the tattered boxes and array of little toys. She glanced at Jaune, forehead wrinkled. "We're all out."

A smug grin made its way on his face. "Not if I – and the _gianormous pantry_ – have anything to say about it."

Ruby adopted a similar expression.

* * *

Weiss Schnee was in her and Ruby's room, diligently completing her Strategy Theory assignment. It was due next week – hence her roommate's absence – but never let it be said that Weiss was not on top of everything. She _did_ have a standard to uphold, after all, and this particular piece of work was worth twenty percent of their theory grade.

She grumbled tiredly at the thought of Ruby badgering her the day – no, _night –_ before submission for help. _'Maybe after I'm done, I can get some extra sleep.'_

The room's door swung open, slamming into the back wall. There was only one person who could be so reckless – technically two but she didn't think Yang would barge into their room – as to exert more force than necessary into opening a _door._

Ruby.

Weiss sighed. _'So much for that.'_

"Ruby, what did I tell you about–"

"Sshnow angel!" Ruby slurred. "You... you're here!" She stumbled towards Weiss.

"S-snow angel?" Weiss stuttered in disbelief. Observing the way her teammate staggered towards her, Weiss's eyes narrowed. "Are you... drunk?"

"Nooo," Ruby dragged out with a vacuous smile. "I'm just sooo happy to see you, Weiss-y." The cloaked teen pounced on and embraced her confused partner. Weiss stiffened.

Being in such close proximity to Ruby allowed the scents that clung to Ruby waft into Weiss's nostrils.

_'Roses... and sugar?'_ Her brows furrowed.

When Ruby pulled back, the ivory-haired teen managed to get a glimpse of her partner's glazed over eyes. Her own orbs widened as she recalled a story Yang had regaled the team with one night, during their first 'bonding session'.

_The four girls found themselves in Ruby and Weiss's room, as mandated by the Academy, so that they "bond and work more effectively as a cohesive unit"._

_With Ruby swivelling herself around in her revolving chair, Blake sat on a bed with her back against the wall engrossed in reading, and Weiss busy scribbling something at her table, Yang grew restless. She never liked silence. It was... awkward. She didn't _do_ awkward._

"_So!" Yang shouted in hopes of attracting everyone's attention. "How's about someone tell a story?"_

_The suggestion went unheeded as Ruby and Weiss – the only two who had bothered to look up – swiftly turned away to resume their task._

_Yang huffed. 'I expected that of the princess, but certainly not you, dear little sister. How dare you ignore me.' Continuing along that train of thought, Yang's glum expression turned into a smirk. _

"_Y'know," she drawled, "there was that one time Ruby trashed our home, the neighbour's front _and _back yard, as well as a couple of convenience stores near our place before passing out in the central's fountain."_

_Weiss's head shot up. Whirling around, she asked, now intrigued, "Do tell."_

_Blake's head also perked. She shot an amused sidelong glance at Ruby, whose head fell back against her chair's back support with a thud. The crimson-cloaked teen groaned as she covered her face with her arms, before slouching and contorting her body in such a way that she was curled up into a small ball on her seat._

_The blonde grinned. "Gather 'round, children. It's story time. Once upon a time, not long ago–"_

"_You've contradicted yourself," Blake interrupted. Her partner shot her a glare._

"_Hey, who's telling the story here?" When Blake didn't reply, Yang continued. "There lived a young girl named Ruby. She was adored by everyone in her town. They would shower her with all sorts of gifts, for she was the apple of their eye. However, there _was_ one thing they never dared to give her... sugar."_

_One of Blake's eyebrows quirked, while Weiss's face scrunched at the strange twist. Yang nodded sagely, ignoring their responses. "Yes, that's right. Sugar. For you see, whenever the lovely dame had enough in her system, she would change. And not for the better, mind you, oh no. Her eyes would glaze over, much like the donuts she stuffed herself with, the pig," her last sentence devolved into a hiss, before Yang cleared her throat and continued more neutrally, "and she would begin to act tipsy... which could be argued that she was. Inebriated, that is. Because sugar was a drug to the young child... A psychedelic, mind-altering drug..."_

Weiss snapped out of her reverie.

Glazed eyes, check. Impaired speech and motor skills, check. Psychotic grin– wait a minute. Weiss didn't recall _that_ being part of the story.

The heiress paled. "What did you eat, Ruby."

"Y'know, marshmallow flakes. They were _soooo_ good, Weiss, you shoulda been there. Jaune was there, and I was there, and man, it was a _party._"

"... How much did you have?" Weiss asked hesitantly.

Ruby's face scrunched in thought. "Iunno. … Ten...?"

"Bowls?!"

Ruby shook her head. "Nuh uh."

Ice-blue eyes widened. "... _Boxes?_!"

"Mhmmm." A goofy grin made its way onto Ruby's face.

"Jaune, that idiot," Weiss spat.

She was screwed. She couldn't lock Ruby alone in the dorm room because they had inspection later that night, and she couldn't – _wouldn't_ – risk a hyper Ruby decimating their quarters and ruining her spotless reputation. There was also a twinge of worry that Ruby would wreck her way out and cause trouble while injuring herself in the process, but she brushed that niggling feeling aside. Her? Worried about Ruby's safety? Never.

She just didn't want the girl to destroy her good name. That was it.

Ruby released her partner and bolted around to leap on her bed. As Weiss watched the grey-eyed female bounce frenetically on the mattress, she sighed, already feeling exhausted.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Weiss groaned. "Get out from under my desk, Ruby."

The other girl whimpered from her hiding place. Ruby curled up into an even tighter ball and continued rocking.

The ivory-haired female sighed. "Ruby..."

Her head shot up. "Do you hear that," she stage whispered.

"No."

Ruby crawled out from under the table. "It's coming."

"Wha–"

"WE MUST GET TO HIGHER GROUND!" she yelled, flipping her hood up. Unfolding Crescent Rose, the girl pointed it downwards and shot at the ground, propelling herself towards the ceiling and manoeuvring to grip onto the lights.

Weiss stared at the hole in their floor and cringed. _'I probably should've taken Crescent Rose.'_

"Ruby, get down from the ceiling!" Weiss shouted, her hands on her hips.

"Who is this Ruby?! I AM THE CRIMSON AVENGER." Releasing her hold on the ceiling lights, she fell and action rolled into a crouch. Perking her head, she gruffly said, "I sense trouble."

"You _are_ trouble."

Ruby ignored the retort. "Beacon needs me, princess. I must bid you adieu." She walked up to Weiss and lifted her hand, pressing a gentle kiss upon it. Weiss was rendered dumbstruck. "Our time together was short, but sweet. Never forget me, snow angel."

Ruby turned and strode gallantly towards their window. Pulling herself onto the ledge, she inhaled and closed her eyes, ready to take the leap. To return to her mantle as Beacon's silent guardian. Their watchful protector. The Dark Kn–

Recovering from her stunned state, Weiss lurched forward and grabbed Ruby by the scruff of her cloak. The older teen wrenched her partner back into the room, who landed on her butt with a grunt.

Looking up at her irate partner, Ruby grinned and wriggled her eyebrows. "Oh ho, did the fair maiden wish for more of summa _this_? I suppose I have some time to spare, for a gorgeous thing such as yourself..."

Weiss stared back at her with a vacant expression. Her hand snapped forward and ripped Crescent Rose from its place on Ruby's back. "Consider this confiscated."

"My baby!"

"You can get it back when you're less... _less._" Weiss huffed and spun around on her heel, stomping back towards her desk.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Weiss twisted to see the hooded figure approach her at a breakneck speed. She only had time to steel herself before Ruby tackled her onto a mattress. Weiss grunted from the impact, dropping Crescent Rose on the floor. Ruby, taking advantage of her position, squirmed and wrapped her arms and legs around the momentarily stunned heiress in a death grip.

Ruby nuzzled her companion's neck.

"Get off of me!"

"No," Ruby murmured. "Soft."

Weiss sighed in exasperation. _'So this is what my life has come to. Relegated to being a fifteen-year old's oversized bolster." _The heiress glanced down at her partner, eyes softening just a touch.

Those same eyes narrowed when Weiss heard faint snoring. _'Did she...'_

She snaked an arm out of the tight hold she had been put in, using it to angle the younger girl's head. Weiss was met with the face of a slumbering Ruby.

Weiss groaned. _'She did.'_

Her forehead creased as she mentally debated about whether or not to leave Ruby's embrace. She could risk jostling the girl and provoking a second round of chaos if she did move...

As she weighed the pros and cons, Weiss's hand subconsciously moved to brush the hair out of Ruby's face. A gentle smile graced both their lips.

The door slammed open for the second time that day. Weiss tensed, turning her head so quickly she almost gave herself a whiplash. Yang strutted into the room with her arms folded behind her head. "Yo Ruby, you feeling better no–"

She stared at the surprised girl in her sister's arms. Weiss stared back, looking like a deer in headlights.

Yang smirked devilishly, slowly inching out of the room. The heiress slipped out of Ruby's grasp and scrambled to her feet.

"N-No wait, I can explain, it's not what you think," Weiss stuttered, waving her hands in front of her frantically.

Lilac eyes darted between the two with an impish glint. "That's what they _all_ say," Yang teased from the doorway. The sly expression stayed plastered on her face as she gently shut the door.

Weiss stared open-mouthed at the closed door for a few beats. Dropping her arms and shaking her head in resignation, the heiress plodded to her own bed. She flopped onto the mattress face down, moaning into the pillow.

_'Stupid blondes.'_

* * *

**AN:** Ruby wasn't the only one high. What the hell was _I_ on, writing this? (Cold meds.)

Headcanon: Ruby hates strategy class. Why bother when she can just go 'pew pew POW' and win (almost) every time? Episode 6 practically made this CANON. Also, PPMF are ladened with sugar, hence Ruby getting messed up. Plates of cookies have nothing on several boxes of that stuff.

Blake was busy on 'Blake Belladonna's Wily Adventures'. … Not a real thing, but someone should make that spin-off. (I swear, there's more Blake in the next chapter.)

Thanks for everything, as always. Critiques are welcomed.

P.S: Just want to bring attention to what reviewer Rocfang50 said. Go on, find and read it. I'll wait.

... Yes. Please.

I feel bad not replying to the guests, but I don't want to bog down my ANs. Make accounts pls.


	5. Subtly is Not Your Strong Suit

**Subtly is Not Your Strong Suit**

"Did you guys know that Beacon has this _huge_ library?!" Ruby gushed, eyes alit.

Yang groaned through a mouthful of lunch. "Is that seriously what you're getting excited about? A _library_?" she asked incredulously.

Ruby pouted. "What's wrong with that?"

The blonde rubbed her face. "Nothing, except for the fact that Beacon also happens to have an olympic-size swimming pool, a giant sparring ring and an _open ice-cream bar_, and you choose to get fired up about a _library_?"

Ruby's eyes narrowed. "We... have an open ice-cream bar?"

Weiss's eyes widened in panic. She slammed her hands onto the table, force powerful enough to send cutlery flying. "Of _course_ we don't! Right Blake? Yang?"

Weiss shot the two a desperate stare. Blake quirked an eyebrow in confusion, but nodded regardless. Yang, on the other hand, looked at Weiss with a cheeky grin.

"We don't?" the blonde replied in mock surprise. "I could've sworn–" Yang paused when she caught the despondent look in Weiss's eyes. She pursed her lips. _'I know Ruby's bad when she's on a sugar high, but for even the mighty Schnee heiress to crumble...'_

Yang sighed, scratching the back of her head. "I guess you're right, Weiss," she conceded. "Sorry, sis. Must've been thinking about someplace else."

Ruby nodded absentmindedly, forgiving her sister's blunder. Her brows knitted as the gears in her head whirred to life, processing what Yang said. There was something... off in that last statement...

The cloaked girl's eyes narrowed again. "Wait a minute. Since when did you call her Weiss? And since when did you," she directed at Weiss, "call her Yang?"

"Since we came to an understanding," they deadpanned simultaneously.

Ruby looked at them in puzzlement.

"Don't sweat it, little sis," Yang waved off. "It's a one-time thing. Schnee still rolls off the tongue better than..." Yang scrunched her nose. "_Weiss."_

Weiss glanced around theatrically. "Did you hear something?" she asked. Without waiting for an answer, the ivory-haired girl shrugged a shoulder and returned to her meal. "Must've been _unimportant._"

A thud and yelp followed.

Yang smirked. "Oops, _sorry Princess_. My leg slipped."

Weiss's face contorted with anger. Clenching her fists, the heiress collected herself and forced a smile. "It's fine – I guess not everyone's competent enough to master gross motor skills."

"Bite me," Yang barked.

Weiss scoffed. "How crude."

Amber eyes noticed the fifteen-year old sat across her getting more and more distressed as the verbal sparring match next to them escalated. Blake sighed, feeling a slow throb develop at her temple.

"Ruby," she started.

Ruby's head whipped in her direction. "Y-yes, Blake?" she stuttered, eyes slightly dilated from surprise.

Blake's mouth twitched into a small smile. _'Adorable. Awkward, but adorable.' _

"Tell me more about that library."

* * *

Yang was bored. She examined her companions, all engrossed in their novel of choice. Her little sister had in her hands some book Blake had recommended: Children's and Household Tales. She supposed it suited Ruby. No matter how old the girl got, she always retained that childlike innocence. Even if it did gradually end up involving high-caliber sniper rifles and giant bird beheading scythes.

The blonde spread out on the table, outstretching her left arm and curling the right under her head. The posture allowed her to gaze at Weiss next. She would have preferred sitting next to Ruby or Blake – and across the ivory-haired teen since it would've made disturbing her easier – but the former two shot her suggestion down.

Yang pouted. _'They just find me distracting._' The pout slowly turned into a grin. _'And why wouldn't they? I'm_ awesome._'_

She shifted her attention to the book in Weiss's tight grip. Her eyebrows furrowed. _''Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit.' Well of course they aren't.'_ The blonde snorted lightly.

Weiss turned to look at Yang with a brow raised. Yang shrugged and waved as best as she could in her position. Weiss turned back to her novel.

Yang's head moved so as to focus on Blake, who sat across her. _''The Metamorphosis.' Thin book.' _A mischievous smirk bloomed on her face. Stretching her left arm a tad further, she began gently nudging on the bottom of Blake's novella. Her fingers brushed back and forth, playing with the pages.

Blake slammed the book downwards without batting an eyelid, crushing Yang's fingers between the hard surface of the table and the pressure she applied.

Yang bit her tongue to stifle her cry. She may have disliked libraries, but she sure as hell did not want to be kicked out. The blonde felt eyes on them, but paid them no heed, too occupied with trying to get her fingers free.

Amber orbs glanced up from the novella to stare critically at wide, lilac eyes. Yang frantically mouthed apologies and pleas to her impassive partner.

Blake nodded once, lifting her book back up to eye level. Yang jerked her arm back and blew on her throbbing digits. The blonde clutched her injured hand to her chest, shooting her partner a look of disbelief.

Weiss snickered faintly beside her.

Yang shot a glare at the ivory-haired teen. She thrusted her unwounded hand into a pocket and wrenched out her cellphone, fiddling with the keys.

_'No reception,_' she read, feeling vexed. Yang slammed her head down onto the table with a groan, uncaring of the attention she attracted.

"Can we goooo," she whined pitifully. "You guys can just borrow the books, can't you? Why do we have to stay _here_?"

Weiss scowled. "Because in here, we were hoping we didn't have to hear you speak," she hissed out of the corner of her mouth, loud enough for just their table to hear.

Yang disregarded the scathing remark and swivelled her head in Ruby and Blake's direction. Her little sister shot her a supplicant stare over her book, while Blake nonchalantly continued to flip through her novella.

Sighing noisily, the blonde slumped back in her chair in defeat. She knew she could just _leave_ and find her other friends to spend time with, but she had promised Ruby to spend the day with her.

_'But she never said anything about sisterly bonding in a boring old library.'_

Yang groaned again, thumping her head gently on the back support.

Weiss frowned. "Would you stop that? Some people are trying to read. You realise you could always leave, yes?"

She straightened in her seat, shifting to look at Weiss with an unreadable expression.

The heiress held the stare for a few moments, but upon realising Yang wasn't going to do anything, rolled her eyes and returned to her novel.

A wicked grin settled on Yang's countenance. She stood and sauntered away, earning her the questioning gaze of Blake. She winked and waved to her partner roguishly. Already used to the blonde's restlessness, Blake shook her head slightly, eyes drifting back to her book.

Yang came back with a couple of pencils and numerous pieces of paper in hand. Plopping onto her seat, she hunched over and began scribbling like a madman, after which folding her work into little triangular packages. Once done, she gathered up her pile of origami and rose to her feet so quickly she almost toppled her chair over. Turning on her heel, she briskly walked to the table behind Weiss, dumping the heap of triangles onto the surface and pulling out a chair to straddle. Yang twisted to grab one of her creations, cradling it in her palm as she primed her other hand into a flicking position. The blonde perched her arms on the chair's back, lifting her makeshift weapon to eye level. One lilac eye squeezed shut as Yang poked her tongue out of her mouth, taking aim.

Weiss's left eye twitched, feeling something hit and slide down her back. The heiress glowered as she sunk into her seat, hands tightening on her novel. She felt another object land – this time on her head – and heard a stifled 'whoop!' from behind. Swinging around, she caught the sight of Yang victoriously pumping her arms up and down while doing a little jig in her seat. As Weiss did so, her ivory hair whipped about, sending the folded paper in Ruby's direction. It smacked gently against the cover of her book. Now distracted, the short-haired teen placed her novel down and reached out to unfold the paper, with a curious Blake observing out of the corner of her eye.

"What do you think you're doing?" Weiss seethed.

Yang held up her hands defensively. "Chillax, Princess. You're causing a scene."

"_I'm_ causing a scene?" Weiss began, eyes wide with incredulity, "You're the dolt who's throwing little pieces of paper at other people! Other people who're _trying to read,_" she emphasised slowly, as if talking to a child. The heiress sniffed and jutted her chin up, closing her eyes haughtily. "Then again, I guess I can't expect anything more from someone as immature as y–"

The sharp point of another triangle nailed her right in the forehead. Ice-blue eyes shot open to catch the blonde wriggling in celebration. "Bullseye!" Yang whispered.

"You–" Weiss's tirade was stopped by muffled giggles behind her. Turning back around, she saw Ruby with both hands on her mouth to suppress her laughter and an amused Blake. When the heiress quirked an eyebrow, Blake wordlessly pushed a crumpled piece of paper towards her. Weiss snatched it huffily, blanching at the image. Yang had hastily drawn a caricature of her – with the head of a fire-breathing dragon: serrated teeth, forked tongue, reptilian eyes and all – terrorising little children and puppies. The heiress jumped when a finger seemingly came out of nowhere and stabbed at a red-cloaked puppy huddled in the corner, cowering in fear. Weiss turned her head to find a self-satisfied blonde peeking over her shoulder.

"That's Ruby," Yang said proudly. Weiss gaped at the blonde. Yang straightened and squared her shoulders while crossing her arms. "Good, huh? I think it's pretty accurate."

Weiss exhaled, stupefied. She sluggishly got to her feet, brushing past the bemused blonde to trudge deeper into the library.

Yang directed a smirk at the two still in the seats, which swiftly melted into a grimace when both Blake and Ruby shot her disapproving stares. "But it was funny..." she argued weakly.

Blake jerked a thumb in the direction Weiss went. Ruby clasped her hands together under her chin. Knowing she had lost, Yang groaned. Pouting, she shuffled towards the rows upon rows of shelves Weiss had traversed between, not-so-intent on finding the heiress. _'It's not my fault she can't take a joke,'_ Yang thought petulantly while combing the area. _'Stupid uppity heiresses and their stupid hissy fits and inability to appreciate the fine arts.'_

Fifteen minutes into her search and Yang found nothing but dusty old tomes and equally lost students. No Schnee in sight. Wandering aimlessly in the Chemistry aisle, Yang slowed to a stop. She stomped a foot, frustrated from the fruitless attempt to location Weiss. After a couple of disgruntled visual sweeps, the blonde threw her arms up in the air in surrender and stormed back in the direction of their table, complaining under her breath the entire way.

Having expected to find only two at their table, Yang screeched to a halt in surprise when she spotted a composed Weiss casually flipping through her book, as if the past half hour or so hadn't taken place. Squinting her eyes warily, Yang creeped forward with arms outstretched and knees bent, cautiously 'feeling' for danger. The blonde leapt back at every other step, wiping invisible sweat off her brow under the pretence of just narrowly avoiding a booby trap.

"Would you stop being so overdramatic?" Weiss asked, eyes never leaving her novel.

Yang grinned cheekily, bouncing back to her seat. Dropping onto her chair, she sprung up with a yelp, clutching her rear. She heard the venomous 'shh' directed in her direction by the greying librarian, but ignored it in favour of zooming in on the chair. Her expression shifted to one of astonishment upon seeing an upturned thumbtack perfectly positioned to inflict maximum damage. Yang glanced around the table to find Blake regarding her cooly, Ruby looking on worriedly and Weiss... Weiss smothering a snicker. The heiress promptly smoothed out her expression, however, and turned to glance at Yang indifferently. _'As if she doesn't know any better.'_ Lilac eyes narrowed dangerously as a smirk enveloped her face. _'So the Princess knows how to play the game.'_

Peeling the thumbtack from her seat, she flicked it at Weiss who batted it away with her book. "Touché, Schnee. Didn't know you had it in ya."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Nevertheless, Yang caught a glimpse of the smile Weiss tried to repress before she obscured it behind her novel.

"Really?" the blonde drawled, "That's not what the thumbtack that's been up my ass says."

Weiss snorted. "I didn't know you spoke thumbtack. Then again, I guess we all need _some_ kind of talent."

Yang bristled at the jab. Her mouth opened and closed, trying but failing to find a suitable retort. She slumped in her chair, bitterly conceding defeat. The heiress shot her a smug smile. Yang gritted her teeth, squeezing her fists and crumpling her shorts. Her eyes flitted about as she tried to conjure a devious counter... lilac orbs lit up when their gaze landed on the quartet's legs under the table. The blonde bit her lip as she sat, tensed, waiting out the few agonisingly long minutes necessary for Weiss to slip back into her novel. When Yang felt that the other teen was engrossed enough, she carefully extended a leg to trail along Weiss's. The ivory-haired teen stiffened. Her eyes darted in Yang's direction, to find the blonde wearing a shameless grin. She wiggled her fingers lazily. As Weiss inhaled sharply through her nose, primed to explode, Yang tutted with a shake of her index finger. She canted her head, allowing blue orbs to shift their focus on the scowling librarian. Weiss gulped. Her eyes darted back to see an impish expression plastered on Yang's face.

'Stop it,' Weiss mouthed. Her eye twitched when Yang pantomimed the action.

'Make me,' the blonde sassed, blowing a raspberry.

The heiress growled. Irritation fuelling her actions, Weiss was able to catch Yang off guard at the swiftness with which she manoeuvred her legs. Weiss manipulated her limbs in such a way that she gained leverage over Yang's, poising one foot over the other's calf. She pressed down with as much body weight as she could, a malicious smirk stretching over her face. Yang bit her tongue and released a strangled grunt as her body contorted with her leg to try and lessen the damage. With pressure continuing to mount on her calf, Yang choked back a cry and rammed her other leg in Weiss's general direction, landing a firm blow on the heiress's shin. Weiss jerked forward and slammed her fists onto the table, feeling the telltale signs of a bruise forming.

While their legs continued to flail about under the table, occasionally slamming against the underside and causing a bigger ruckus, Blake grew more irate. The sable-haired girl felt the veins on her forehead pop, felt the blood rush to her ears and head, almost clouding her judgement in a red, murderous haze. Her muscles tensed and her teeth gritted involuntarily. Her pupils dilated. Her breathing rate increased. Her grip on her novella turned violent, crumpling paper and threatening to rip the small book into pieces.

Ruby glanced out of the corner of her eyes at her seething companion and gulped. _'How did everything go so wrong, so fast?' _

"Yang," Blake warned.

"What?" Yang hissed, shakily pointing a finger at the ivory-haired girl beside her. "She started it!"

Weiss grunted, driving a leg up and slamming Yang's knee into the table, forcing a wince from the latter. "I could never stoop to your level."

Having noticed the steely glares and annoyed looks people were shooting them, Ruby felt the need to intervene. "Uh, guys? I think we should all just calm down and–"

"No!" Weiss shouted, too upset to bother with decorum. "I want your uncouth sister to apologise!"

"Me?" replied Yang indignantly, "You stuck a thumbtack on my seat! I could've been hurt!"

"You could've taken an eye out with what _you_ did!"

Ruby cringed when the duo devolved into yet another tussle, all while shrieking at each other. She shrank into her seat, picking up her book and hiding her face. _'Maybe if I pretend I don't know them...'_

Unfortunately, Blake was not as forgiving. With the tick of her eye increasing in frequency, she knew she had to stop them... before the animalistic urge to maim consumed her. The ear-grating clatter of flesh meeting table and objects scratching against the floor trigged another twitch.

On second thought, letting the urge take over sounded appealing.

Blake propped herself up on her elbows. Clenching one fist, she allowed the feeling of nails digging into flesh divert her attention away from the enticing notion of physically harming the duo. Blake used her free hand to rub her nose bridge. "Out."

They ignored her, argument having escalated to a point where the low grumble went unheard. However, the burst of sinister aura could not be disregarded. The library once again grew quiet as Yang and Weiss stiffly turned to look at Blake, legs untangling. They shook off the frisson of fear as best they could.

"Huh?" Weiss blurted.

"Out."

Yang winced. "But–"

"Out."

"Blak–"

Another blast of ominous black aura silenced Yang. "Okay," she said meekly. Weiss and Yang carefully got off their seats, shuffling out of the library.

* * *

The two found themselves sitting pensively on opposing couches in the empty lounge. A docile Yang remorsefully nudged a foot against the ground.

Weiss leaned back, crossing her arms and legs derisively. "I didn't expect you to leave upset."

Yang huffed. "I have a conscious, y'know. I promised I'd spend time with Ruby today, and," she paused to sheepishly scratch her cheek, "I kinda ruined it. Of course I feel like the suckiest person ever."

Weiss's lips thinned into a line upon hearing the fabricated word. "Hmm."

They continued to sit in awkward silence until the blonde spoke slowly. "So... I didn't expect _you_ to indulge in my 'uncouth'," she accentuated the word with air quotes, "ways."

A light blush coloured pale cheeks. "Well," Weiss started, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat, hanging her head to avoid contact with glimmering lilac orbs. "Well..." she fumbled ineloquently.

"Say no more." Weiss's head jerked. She saw the blonde stretch her arms over her head with a pleased smile. "Maybe there's some hope for you after all."

"What is that supposed to m–"

The steady click of stilettos on tiles drew their attention to an emotionless Blake and a downcast Ruby. Yang and Weiss stood when their partners reached them.

"Blake–"

Said teen raised a hand to cut Yang off. She brought her other hand – one that carried a thick book Yang hadn't noticed – up and pressed it against Yang's nose. Feeling herself get cross-eyed, the blonde leaned back. "The Art of War?" she read sceptically. Weiss's eyebrows quirked in surprise and recognition.

"You're both kinda... sorta... banned from the library, so we thought we'd get you some reading material from Blake's personal collection," Ruby chimed in. "We tried to stop them, but..." Her expression grew gloomier.

Yang shot her a grateful look. "Don't worry baby sis, I'm sure they'll forgive us. Eventually."

Ruby perked up a little.

"Ah," Yang hesitantly added, edging away from the book, "see, I really don't need–" She floundered when the book was shoved into her hands.

"You do," Blake replied curtly. She then grabbed Ruby's hand and turned on her heel, striding towards the dining hall. The youngest teen stumbled, waving to her other companions before twisting around to keep pace with Blake.

The two remaining members cycled between staring at the retreating backs of their partners, the book, and each other.

"Soooo–"

"Read it before," Weiss said brusquely, stalking off in the direction Blake and Ruby went in.

Yang flapped her lips with a long exhale. She looked down reluctantly at the novel, tilting it this way and that. Rhythmic skipping caused Yang to glance up. She spotted Nora Valkyrie prancing down the hall. Lilac eyes narrowed in deliberation. The blonde gave a halfhearted shrug after a couple of scant seconds. "Eh, maybe later," she murmured. Yang broke into a sprint. "Yo Nora! Wanna hang?!"

* * *

**AN:** Holy reception, Batman. Thank you all for the support!

References to real books FTW. Go find out what each's about. /hint

Headcanon: Yang's smart and witty and awesome. However, not even she can defeat snarky!Weiss. Yang also doesn't mind books, but she dislikes libraries. Silence and her just don't mix. (Callback to previous chapters – _it's like I plan!) _Blake adores Ruby (take that as you will), and she thinks Yang could afford to be more tactful.

If this felt too open-ended, there's a reason for that. I had conceptualised a spin-off dubbed 'The Art of War' detailing what Yang does when she finally starts reading, with each chapter based on its respective counterpart in the book. However, that's not coming anytime soon (if at all, cough). Still, feel free to imagine the shenanigans.

Expect the next chapter to be... severely delayed. But because I'm a giant tease, check the profile for title drops.

There's art by omgwtfdondake/VnixxiR on Deviantart for the last chapter (thanks again!), and Episode 8 had sexy ship and fuwa fuwa ship (Blake/Yang and Ruby/Weiss respectively). Great week.


	6. In Schnee We Trust

**In Schnee We Trust**

The quartet found themselves sitting listlessly in Yang and Blake's room one fine Saturday night. They had originally planned to spend time with their fellow freshmen – Team JNPR – but the other crew had been called away for a surprise team-building exercise by Professor Ozpin. Coincidentally, a freak thunderstorm started soon after they departed, when the quartet were preparing to leave the Academy for some team-building of their own in town. With a storm of such sudden intensity being unnatural in Vale, the higher-ups suspected something was awry – likely a terrible Dust-related accident – and immediately put the school into lockdown; all students were forced to stay inside until further notice.

Yang rested against her sister, slumping so she could rest her head on the shorter girl's shoulder. She stared at Weiss and Blake, who were sat on Blake's bed with equally atypical slouches. "Do we have _nothing _to do? Seriously, guys?"

She received two blank looks in response.

Yang groaned. She flopped back onto her bed and erratically thrashed about, ending with her head in her pillow and Ruby knocked onto the floor. The younger girl took to sprawling herself out on the surface, subconsciously moving her arms and legs in the classic snow angel motion.

Weiss took notice of this and promptly buried her face in her hands. "Our great leader," she said sardonically, voice muffled.

"I'm no good when bored, okay?" Ruby said, stopping to push herself up with her arms. "Uh, why don't we..." She desperately looked around. "Let's do some team activities right here! We don't need no stinkin' outside! We have each other!"

Weiss lifted her head an inch off her hands and raised an eyebrow. "And what, pray tell, can we do when we're stuck in here? Majority of the amenities, including the pool, are closed at this time, your sister and I are _still_ banned from the library, and we're not allowed to enter the training facilities while they're under investigation."

Ruby's lips thinned, having not thought that far ahead yet.

Weiss sighed. "Exactly, genius." The crestfallen look on Ruby's face made Weiss pause. Shaking her head for having gone so soft, she stood and walked around, making the effort to try and find something to appease everyone's restlessness.

She approached the huge bookshelf nestled away in a corner of the room. Crossing her arms, she eyed the assortment of novels from different genres, periods and languages. "Why not we read?" Her brows furrowed upon sighting an inconspicuous title-less book, hidden between larger, more attention grabbing novels. Curiosity peaked, she stood on her tiptoes and reached for said book.

Blake had been staring at Weiss indifferently until that moment. Her eyes widened in panic when the heiress stretched to grab a novel from her... 'collection'. She raced to the ivory-haired girl and seized her wrist just as nimble fingers grazed the book's spine.

Weiss turned to Blake, eyebrows knitted. Blake flushed and quickly released the hand, recoiling as if she were just burnt. "Uh, I don't think reading's a good idea. It doesn't exactly allow us to bond effectively since we wouldn't be communicating."

Weiss's eyes narrowed as Blake gulped, feeling sweat begin to bead on her forehead. The heiress opened her mouth to question the skittish female, however, Yang's yell directed her attention away from the sable-haired female. Blake quietly sighed in relief.

Yang had propped herself in a push-up position on the bed as Ruby shied away from the blonde after her outburst and leaned against Blake's bedside. The blonde twisted to look at her companions with a devious grin.

"Let's break into the pantry."

"Pardon?" Weiss asked incredulously. Beacon Academy's pantry was made inaccessible to the general public; only senior students – the few who never moved out of the dorms, that is – and professors were allowed clearance. Even then, the former group only had entry until eleven. The Headmaster was very protective of his special coffee blend stash. Weiss never bothered learning why. The last buffoon to try and steal a batch wound up in detention for weeks. Yang vouched for its worth, but Weiss wasn't inclined to agree; it costed them valuable training time. How could coffee ever compare?

At any rate, while Weiss wasn't a stickler for rules, the heiress definitely wasn't interested in _any_ of Yang's harebrained schemes. She had seen them and their many disastrous consequences before, and she would be damned if she willingly got involved in such ill-planned misadventures.

"Ooh, that sounds like a fun idea!"

"I _could_ go for a late-night snack."

Sadly, her teammates didn't quite share her sentiments.

Weiss juggled between gaping at an ecstatic Ruby, a self-satisfied Yang and a contemplative Blake. "You're _kidding_," she deadpanned. She focused on the proud blonde and summoned the most disapproving glare she could. "This is a _terrible_ idea. It's bordering _suicidal_ considering the circumstances."

Yang simply rolled her eyes, dragging herself to the edge of her bed. "Alright," she said with a halfhearted shrug. "Let's have a vote. Team-building and all."

Weiss blanched. There was no way she'd win – not when Blake developed the tendency to fall in with the dynamic duo.

Yang regarded the pale Weiss with a meaningful smirk. "All in favour, raise your hand." She lazily raised her arm. Ruby's shot up in an instant, while Blake's rose in a more controlled manner.

The blonde languidly leaned back on her arms with a triumphant smile. "Guess this means you're outvoted, Schnee."

Weiss looked at Blake, betrayal shining in ice-blue orbs.

Blake glanced at the ivory-haired girl out of the corner of her eye and shrugged unapologetically. "I'm hungry."

_'I also don't want you going anywhere near those books,' _she thought as she watched Weiss stomp off to bicker with the smug blonde.

Weiss stood in front of Yang with her arms akimbo, normally pale cheeks tinged pink from anger. "I cannot believe you."

Yang looked up at the heiress who towered over her with a coy tilt of the head. She batted her eyelashes. "Oh my, what ever could you be talking about?" she baited.

"You know what I'm talking about," Weiss seethed. "_You_," she pointed an accusatory finger near Yang's face, "turned _her_," she pointed to Blake, who had taken the opportunity to walk up next to Ruby, "into a..." Weiss floundered, gesturing wildly as she tried to find an appropriate word, "a... a _fiend_!"

Yang maintained a pokerface for all of two seconds before bursting into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. She scrabbled back onto her bed, curling up on her side and clutching her stomach as her howls grew hysterical.

Weiss huffed in annoyance. "What exactly is so funny?"

"Oh Weiss," Yang gasped, face red from oxygen deprivation. She wiped away a stray tear from her eye. "If only you knew."

Weiss's forehead creased. "Knew what?"

Yang wriggled her eyebrows. "That Blake was always a fiend." She threw her partner a salacious wink and purred for good measure. Blake – ever the good sport – rolled her eyes and smiled at the double entendre. It stretched into a smirk when Weiss and Ruby developed luminescent blushes.

"W-what–" Ruby squeaked.

Yang crawled back to the edge of her bed and erected herself on her knees to bring herself up to eye level with Weiss. "Yeah. She's an absolute monster–"

Weiss reeled back, her blush spreading down to her neck like wildfire. "I don't need to hear this!"

"–on the field," Yang continued innocently. She grinned cheekily. "Why? What did you think I meant?" Yang brought a hand up to her open mouth, feigning shock. "Could it be..."

"Do not," Weiss warned, though the underlying threat was negated by the brilliant glow on her cheeks.

Yang fanned herself with a hand. "Who knew the ice princess could be so vulgar?" she teased. The sight of Weiss sputtering caused Yang to roar again with laughter.

Weiss spun on her heel and stormed out of the room. "I'm leaving."

"No– w-wait," Yang gasped between giggles. She held out a hand in a vain attempt to stop the heiress. When the door slammed shut from the burst of crackling pale blue aura, the blonde turned to her horrified sister. "Go– go after her!"

"Are you crazy?" Ruby yelped. "I'll get _killed_."

Yang waved her off flippantly. "You'll be fine," she said, choking back another round of snickers.

Ruby pouted at the unsympathetic response, but sighed and shuffled out of the room in search of her partner. '_The woes of being team leader,'_ she thought grumpily.

Ruby heard heavy footfalls the moment she exited Blake and Yang's room. She briskly jogged in their direction to find an aggravated Weiss stomping back towards their own quarters.

"Weiss!" she called. The heiress ignored her and persisted in stamping onwards.

Ruby's cheeks puffed. She broke into a sprint and grabbed Weiss by the shoulder, twirling her around. Ruby's hands slid down to grasp Weiss's in a soft yet firm hold. "Don't leave!"

Weiss – for the first time in her life – cursed her decision to wear heeled boots. She was met with the sight of a slightly shorter, almost _timid_ from this perspective, Ruby, her large, grey orbs shining with sincerity and a hint of hope. The protective instincts Weiss never knew she had until meeting Ruby flared. She bit her lip and tried to crush the burgeoning feeling of wanting to smother the other girl.

The leader of team RWBY took Weiss's silence as consent to continue. "Y-You can't leave," she started shakily, having not prepared a convincing rally speech – or any speech really – for situations like this. "Uh, what happened to being the best teammate?"

Weiss winced. Her honour and pride wouldn't allow her to retract such a bold statement, but... "You can't use that against me," she replied insistently, her eyes taking care not to make contact with Ruby's. "It's not wrong of me to oppose the insane, self-destructive notion of breaking into the pantry. In fact, this _does _make me the best teammate for wanting you to avoid dying a brutal, meaningless death."

"B-but!" Ruby cried. Weiss quirked an eyebrow, though her eyes remained steadfast in evading grey orbs. "We're a team. A-and sometimes, stupid crazy things happen! We need to be prepared and united for it, no matter what it is!"

Weiss opened her mouth to interject, but Ruby pressed on undaunted. "Come on Weiss, please. For me, as the team leader. Unless..." She bit her lip, aware that this tactic was _incredibly _underhanded, but what choice did she have? Ruby tilted her head down and began swaying their hands together. This prompted Weiss to look down at their hands, and indirectly, at Ruby herself. The younger female stared up at Weiss through her lashes with watery eyes. "You don't trust me?" she whispered.

Weiss gritted her teeth, partially annoyed at Ruby for using such a dirty move, and partially annoyed at herself for _falling_ for it. She knew the question wasn't unfound; she didn't exactly believe in the girl's aptitude during the team's initial few weeks together. She just didn't expect it to come and bite her in the ass again, not when they were as far into their first year as they were now.

Weiss sighed and hung her head in defeat, aware of the futility of arguing with a determined Ruby from firsthand experience. "I am _not_ actually stepping foot in there, understand?"

Ruby nodded excitedly, knowing this was the best she would get. She tugged on one of Weiss's limp arms and dragged the unenthusiastic female back to her sister's room.

Upon arrival, they found Yang – dressed in a figure-hugging black turtleneck and cargo pants – on her bed pulling on a pair of black boots. Blake, cladded in a similar outfit with her hair tied up into a high ponytail, was rummaging through their closet and pulling out miscellaneous items. Weiss caught a glimpse of the little pile beside the amber-eyed female, and wondered briefly why – or when – they decided to store away coils of rope, flashlights, abseiling gear, hardhats, toolkits, stuffed toys, toasters and... handcuffs?

"Woah," Ruby breathed in awe. "Where'd you get all that stuff?"

"And what for?" Weiss queried.

Yang smirked roguishly. She sauntered to the pile and picked up some rope to play with. "You really wanna know?" She grinned when Ruby and Weiss flushed yet again.

Blake shook her head. "You can never be too prepared, is all."

Weiss nodded, deciding to give Blake the benefit of the doubt, if only to disregard Yang's risqué statement.

As Blake turned around to pack their equipment into small bags, Yang stalked forward. "So you're joining us, Schnee?"

Weiss hunched, all fight exhausted from her. "I suppose I am. But I'm telling you what I told your sister: I am _not_ entering the pantry."

Yang grinned. "Great! We needed a guard anyway!"

"A guard?" Ruby and Weiss said in unison.

"Mhm," the blonde hummed. Blake approached with a stack of black clothes in her hands, which Yang snatched and shoved into Ruby's arms. "Here, go put those on," she directed Ruby. "And you," she said as she shifted her attention to Weiss, "need to keep everyone out of the pantry. If you can ensure that no one's even in the vicinity, even better. Think you can manage that?"

Weiss huffed, affronted. "Of course I can, but–"

"Good!" Yang exclaimed. "We'll be sneaking in through the vents – I would show you the blueprints but we have no time for that – so just make sure people don't probe around, capisce?"

Yang seized Weiss by her shoulders and swiftly pushed her out of the room. "Awesome. Cya later!"

The door slammed shut, lock clicking in place.

Weiss stood in a daze, staring blankly at the closed door. The heiress unthinkingly brought a fist up to rap at the door.

Nothing.

She knocked harder.

"CAN'T HEAR YOU WEISS," she heard Yang yell obnoxiously.

Weiss's fists tightened. Shaking her head, she shambled to the pantry, grumbling all the while about doors and blondes. Halfway to the storeroom, her phone began vibrating. Checking the Caller ID, the heiress frowned.

"What is it?" she half-snarled.

"Operation: Pantries Are No Trouble when Relating to Yang and team is a go!" Weiss heard soft cheers through the receiver. "We're on our way to one of the ducts. Keep your phone turned on in case of emergencies!"

Before she could respond, Yang hung up. Weiss groaned.

"Why me?"

* * *

The trio were silently crawling through the dusty cramped ventilation shafts of Beacon Academy. Roughly five minutes had passed since conversation halted, and Ruby was beginning to feel claustrophobic.

"Are you sure we're going the right way, Yang?" Ruby whispered.

"Are you really doubting my sense of direction?" Yang said, keeping her eyes and flashlight aimed straight ahead.

"Yes." Ruby stopped crawling to shudder, remembering the last time her sister had led them on a misadventure. She promised herself she would _never_ ride that bike again; not as long as Yang was the driver.

Yang snorted. She stopped at the next junction, waiting for Ruby – and Blake – to catch up. When they did, the blonde started, "Looks like they split off into three directions. If my memory doesn't fail me–"

"Oh God we're doomed."

Yang swivelled her head to shoot a nasty glare at her cheeky sister. Righting herself huffily, she continued, "Well then trust Blake. We're going in the right direction, aren't we partner?"

Blake, who had taken up the rear, hummed. "Take the left here; we're almost there."

"See?" Yang said smugly, veering left.

"You totally wouldn't have gone left if not for Blake."

Yang didn't dignify her with a reply.

After crawling a few more metres, Blake called for Yang to stop.

"Down below."

Yang grinned and signalled for them to move back. She swung her bag to her front and fished for her screwdriver. Dramatically brandishing the tool, she quickly got to work removing the grates. She sang a jaunty tune mimicking fanfare as she pulled away the grid, motioning for Ruby and Blake to fall through with a courteous "after you".

Ruby looked pointedly at her sister. "Since when did you do subtle?"

Yang shrugged one shoulder. "Since the last time kicking this in got me caught."

Ruby smiled fondly. She should have predicted something along those lines to have triggered caution from her impulsive sister. She collected and dumped all three of their packs down, before dropping through the hole feet first and rolling into a stand. Blake and Yang soon followed.

The pantry exceed Ruby's wildest expectations. Three of its walls were lined with shelves stuffed with every food item imaginable from every corner of Vytal, including Ozpin's coffee stash that was stowed away between other sundries. The fourth wall was essentially a massive refrigerator. Her eyes glowed with reverence on spotting a giant cookie dispenser.

She slowly inched towards the machine.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Yang asked, perplexed.

"Shh," Ruby whispered. "You'll scare it away."

Yang rolled her eyes in good-humour. She raked a hair through her voluminous locks. "Guess I'll set up," she murmured to herself, walking to the middle of the pantry with their bags in hand.

Blake strode past the sisters towards the fridge. "I'll grab the milk."

Ruby rubbed her hands deviously when within arms length of the cookie dispenser. "Time to go to town."

* * *

If it were an ideal world, Weiss Schnee would not be fidgeting awkwardly in front of the pantry's door. Unfortunately, it wasn't, and she was; all for the sake of 'team-building'.

She grumbled, leaning against the cool reinforced steel door. There was no team-building on _this_ side of the storeroom. While everyone else was inside probably gorging themselves with processed garbage, she was left to idle about and ward off anyone who could stumble on her teammates' tomfoolery.

Weiss scowled. Boredom was starting to set in. Glancing around again, she found nobody nearby. _'Why am I even doing this?'_ She huffed. _'This is degrading – being relegated to the task of playing watchdog.' _The heiress stomped her foot. _'Treat _me _like some mindless guard, why don't you.'_ Turning sharply on her heel, Weiss marched away with her head held high.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the pantry, the remaining members of team RWBY were comfortably sat on a picnic mat enjoying their late-night snacks of choice.

As Ruby crammed another handful of cookies into her mouth, Yang took a swig of her milk straight from the carton. "So what do you guys wanna take back?"

Blake took a more dainty sip from her own and shrugged nonchalantly. She reached over to pat Ruby on the back when the younger girl began choking. "Don't talk with your mouth full," she chided gently.

Yang handed her carton to Ruby, who snatched the packet and chugged its contents, spilling some of it on her person. Pulling it away from her mouth with a heavy pant, she breathed, "Cookies."

Blake stared at her disbelievingly, while Yang simply chortled. "You never change, little sis."

Said girl flashed her older sister a thumbs up.

"Well, so we've got cookies," Yang said as she ticked a point off on her finger. "What else? We do still have," she glanced at their bags, "two more to go."

A glimpse of Ruby's face caused Yang to double back. "Okay, so one free pack," she corrected with a sigh. Ruby whooped.

Yang looked at Blake. "Anything you want?"

Blake shook her head. "I'm good. There's nothing I can bring back that won't spoil anyway," she said with a frown, looking at the milk carton in hand. "Let's leave it up to Ruby, since it's her first time here."

"Rubes?" Yang encouraged.

Ruby reclined back and narrowed her eyes. She tapped a finger on her chin. "What if we get something for Weiss?" she thought aloud. "I mean," Ruby straightened to eye Yang and Blake. "She is technically getting the short end of the stick now. Team spirit, right guys?"

"I don't see why not," Yang replied.

"But do you know what she'd like, Ruby?" Blake inquired.

Ruby puffed out her chest. "Of course! She likes..." her voice trailed off. Ruby's eyebrows furrowed. "She likes..."

"You don't know what Weiss likes?" Yang said, tone tinged with surprise and mirth.

"I do! I think! I guess? I don't– she's just..." Ruby crossed her arms and brought her knees close to her chest. "She's never _explicitly_ told me," she sulked.

Blake smiled endearingly. She got to her feet and patted Ruby on her head. "We'll just get a bit of everything we've seen Weiss eat," she stated helpfully. She looked at Yang and tipped her head.

Yang grunted in understanding and stood. She stretched noisily, before gathering their packs and walking towards a chute labelled 'waste disposal' at the far end of the room. She proceeded to unload all their gear into the shaft, delighting in the sound of destruction by whirring automated blades.

"Woah wait," Ruby said, scrambling to her feet. "What are you doing with our stuff?"

Yang turned around after dumping the contents of their last bag. She arched a brow and rested a hand on her hip. "Lightening the load – why?"

"But we need that for our getaway!" Ruby cried indignantly.

Blake rested her hands on Ruby's shoulders to calm the befuddled teen. "Relax," she soothed. "So long Weiss stopped someone from locking it on the outside after eleven, we're fine."

Yang bounded over. "Yep!" She slung an arm over Ruby's shoulder when Blake withdrew, and led her towards the array of shelves. "Now c'mon, it's time we play Santa for the heiress!"

"W-wait, so what was the point of carrying that stuff along?"

The blonde glanced up thoughtfully. "Because it made us feel professional?" She waved off her sister's expression of incredulity. "Doesn't matter now, does it? Are you gonna get something for Weiss or not?"

Without waiting for a verbal answer, Yang hauled her sister up to one of the walls. They rooted through the various racks for anything vaguely 'Weiss'-like, while Blake assigned herself to loading two of their packs with copious amounts of cookies.

Each carrying a relatively heavy pack, they strolled to the door, maintaining light banter all the while.

It was only when Blake tried to open the door and failed that they realised the predicament they had stumbled into.

Blake pursed her lips and jimmied the handle again, but to no avail. "We may have a problem."

Yang gently pushed her partner aside. "Stand back, I can take care of this," she declared boldly. She rolled up the imaginary sleeves on her arms. The blonde reached forward and twisted the handle confidently, with a silently cheering Ruby and mildly ruffled Blake watching. The door didn't budge. Yang laughed sheepishly and tried again. After a few more attempts, Yang dropped her bag and devolved to slamming herself into the door to force it open.

Blake rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Just call Weiss, Yang."

"No! We don't need that... that no-good ditcher!" she yelled, grunting when she collided with steel. "I've got thi–"

"_Yang_," Blake commanded. "You don't need to get caught again."

The blonde's lips thinned. She sighed and reluctantly pulled out her cellphone.

* * *

Weiss looked up from her homework, distracted by her vibrating phone. Her eyes narrowed on seeing Yang's name, and she considered ignoring the call. However, her conscious got the better of her. She grudgingly picked up the call.

"Hello?" Weiss began disinterestedly.

"Where are you?!" Yang barked.

"Back in my room," she answered dryly, rhythmically tapping her pen against the edge of her desk.

Weiss dropped her pen and jerked the phone away as unintelligible screams came through the receiver.

Tentatively bringing the phone back to her ear when the shrieks subsided, Weiss was welcomed by the sound of scuffling.

"W-Weiss?" Ruby timidly said when the struggle faded. "Uh, we may be in a bit of a... sticky situation."

The heiress rubbed her temple. "Please don't tell me you got stuck in candy."

"No, no," Ruby laughed uncomfortably, "nothing like that. Just uh... The door's kinda... sorta locked because you weren't here..."

Weiss's hackles rose. "Are you saying it's _my_ fault you're stuck in there?"

"NO! No," Ruby denied. "We just... need your help to get out."

Weiss frowned. "What happened to all the equipment you brought?"

"Yang threw it away?" Ruby supplied nervously.

There was a brief lull in the conversation.

"Uh, Weis–"

"You know," Weiss started pensively. "I should just let all of you get in trouble. It would teach you a lesson, wouldn't it?"

Ruby whimpered piteously. "But... what happened to being the best teammate?"

Weiss grimaced. "That's low," she groused.

"Does it convince you to help us?"

The heiress sighed. "I'll see what I can do. But _do not_ under _any_ circumstances rouse more trouble. Are we clear, Ruby Rose?"

"Crystal," Ruby replied. "Oh, and Weiss?"

She hummed guardedly.

"You are the _best_," Ruby wheedled, cinching the deal.

For the second time that night, any reply Weiss had was interrupted by the disconnect tone.

With a frustrated groan, Weiss stood. Just as she was about to leave the room, her cellphone rang again. Intuitively knowing who'd be on the other end – because who else would call at this hour? – she didn't break stride, answering without glancing at the interface and growled, "What now?"

"... Weiss?" Blake hesitantly asked.

"Oh, Blake," Weiss paused, smothering her rage. "What is it?"

"Just wanted to inform you that you'll unfortunately need to find some sort of card to break us out. The door is designed specifically to withstand blunt force–"

"Trust us, we'd know!" Yang hollered in the distance.

"–so that option isn't feasible. The professors should all hold a copy of the key, though."

Weiss squeezed her eyes shut in exasperation. "So you're telling me I need to steal it from one of our professors."

"Yes," Blake affirmed. "Or coax it from them. Whatever works."

"We trust you, Weiss!" Ruby shouted.

"Yeah, Weiss-y! … Even if you're the one who technically got us into this mess!" Yang added.

Weiss sighed. "Just... stop talking before I regret this decision entirely."

She heard Blake chuckle. "Good luck, Weiss. We're counting on you."

Weiss dropped her arm tiredly. She shuffled towards the offices, going through in her head the list of lecturers she knew and which would be more inclined to leave their keys lying about.

_'Ozpin? No, that's a death wish. He probably has it on a chain around his neck, for Pete's sake. Goodwitch? … Just as bad as, if not worse than, the former. She'd skin us all alive if she even gets a whiff of what we're doing.'_

Distracted by the perturbing images of being flayed by Beacon Academy's fearsome headmistress, Weiss tuned out her surroundings. Her inattentiveness led to her bump into someone. Staggering back, she was met with the rotund figure of Professor Port. Weiss froze.

"Why, Miss Schnee! Fancy seeing you out and about this late," he greeted cordially. He glanced around. "Are your teammates not with you this lovely evening?"

Weiss flinched almost imperceptibly. "Ah, no. They're... busy."

"Oh?" He looked unconvinced. "There are no... problems between them and yourself again, are there?" he prodded.

Weiss pressed her lips together at the indirect jab. "No, sir. None."

"Hmm." He stroked his moustache. "Well then, what's bothering you?"

Weiss's brows furrowed. "Nothing's bothering me, Professor."

He guffawed. "Oh Miss Schnee," he said when he recollected himself, "if only I had a lien for every time a student said that."

The heiress twitched. "I assure you, sir, nothing is–"

"Nonsense," he interjected with a frown. "I can see it in your eyes. You're troubled by something! And I wouldn't be a very good mentor if I don't at least try to assist you. Now, out with it!"

Weiss cursed her friends internally. "Well, you see..." she stalled, wracking her brain for something convincing. Her eyes gleamed and her posture straightened when inspiration struck. "Actually, there have been difficulties between us."

"Go on," he said with a little flick of the wrist.

"I just feel like they've been... _ignoring_ my... advice. They keep throwing themselves into foolish situations–"

"Like Miss Xiao Long with the pantry debacle."

"Exactly!" Weiss exploded. "And it's absolutely _ludicrous_! Why would they be so _reckless_ about their own well-being! Where's their sense of self-preservation?"

She began pacing. "And Blake! Don't get me started on _Blake. _I thought she'd be the sane one, but no! As loony as the rest of them! I just..." Weiss stopped and sighed. "It's almost been a year, and I still can't fathom them. Nor do I _want_ to, in all honesty. Does that make me a bad person, to still sometimes wish they weren't as they are? That they be a touch more serious? That they be more like–"

"Like you? Or perhaps Miss Nikos or Mister Lie?"

Weiss subtly withdrew, shamefaced.

Professor Port crossed his arms and took a moment to mull over the question. His 'hmm's and 'haw's did nothing to alleviate the distress Weiss felt. Would he buy the story? Does he still have advice to give after their last encounter? _Is she still being a terrible teammate?_

"It doesn't make you bad, per se," he finally placated. "But Miss Schnee, I see you still have a lot to learn. If everyone were cut from the same cloth, there would be no diversity – teams would be cookie cutter and ineffective. Predictable."

Weiss's forehead creased in bafflement. "But the requirements you listed in our first class. A true huntsman needing to be wise and responsible and–"

He looked at her sombrely. "You are an intelligent young woman, Miss Schnee, with a long, full life ahead of you, provided you play your cards right. Allow yourself a brief moment of reprieve while in Beacon Academy. Revel in the freedom you're given – the mistakes you can and will make – for this is likely the only time you may do so without severe repercussions."

His tone softened, turning slightly wistful. "… The world is a cruel, demanding place, Weiss. You should know that better than most. Do not let crass societal expectations keep you trapped on that high and mighty pedestal, so far detached." His face grew grave. "Do not let it dictate who you are, or who you become. Enjoy your time for what it is – your team for who they are – for some wish they could, but were never given opportunity to do so."

A terse moment of silence passed between them. Weiss's fists clenched as she deliberated on his words.

"Ah, but that's enough rambling." Peter Port evened his expression and tone into their affable default. "I hope my prattle helped in resolving your dilemma, Miss Schnee. I apologise for unloading this on you so late in the night."

She shook her head. "It's fine, Professor Port. That was... illuminating."

He smiled sincerely. "Well, I'm glad you thought so. Ah, but I believe you had somewhere you were off to, considering the way you ploughed into me. Please, don't let me keep you!"

Weiss tensed as she remembered her objective. Hastily apologising to Professor Port for taking up his time, she briskly walked passed the man.

"Oh, and Miss Schnee!"

Weiss turned, only to fumble with something thrown her way.

He winked. "Patrol'll be scouting soon. Make it quick."

Weiss gaped at the retreating back of the whistling professor. She looked down at the keycard in hand and decided it wasn't worth questioning what just happened or how he knew.

She had her dolts to save.

* * *

The pantry was in shambles. Coffee beans were crushed and strewn across the floor, unsalvageable. A garishly coloured sludge smeared the walls, and various machinery – including a once upright cookie dispenser – were damaged beyond repair.

Somewhere in the back of Weiss's mind, a part of her was jeering for not foreseeing this.

Ruby had devoured the school's enormous cache of ice-cream. And then she wrecked the entire storeroom.

Of course she did.

Now Weiss was stuck with a semi-conscious Ruby draped over her, an irritable Blake, and a sheepish Yang stuck to the floor, drenched in syrup.

"I can explain."

"I highly doubt that," Weiss snubbed. She shifted uncomfortably, the sticky sensation of Ruby's warm breath on her neck highly unfamiliar and unwelcome.

The heiress grew rigid when she felt more than heard Ruby.

"Weiss..." she mumbled, wrapping her arms and legs around the girl tighter, akin to a koala with its tree. "You came..."

Yang's cackle made Blake palm her face as Weiss countenance glowed red.

"Wassofunny?" Ruby slurred.

"Nothing, Ruby," Weiss said, shooting a glare at Yang. "Let's get you back to our room."

"Mmk," she murmured drowsily, nuzzling Weiss's nape. Weiss stiffened further.

Ruby elevated her head sluggishly on second thought. "Wait," she carefully enunciated. "Got you... stuff." She clumsily disengaged herself from the heiress's back and stumbled to Blake, who was safeguarding their loot.

Ruby hugged the pack Blake passed to her close to her chest. She bridged the gap between Weiss and herself with uncoordinated steps and handed the bag to her partner, a lopsided grin plastered on her face.

Weiss gingerly took the bag and opened it to find an eclectic selection of sundries, ranging from caviar to... half-eaten apples? She grimaced.

"I was checking them for you!"

"Checking?" Weiss asked dubiously.

Ruby's expression was deathly serious. "Apples are dangerous for pretty princesses."

Weiss coughed self-consciously. "Thank you?" She wasn't sure what to say to an impaired Ruby, and hoped this experience would ward Blake off from sneaking the girl snacks – a habit she knew the bibliophile had developed during their time together. Twice a year with sugar-drunk Ruby was twice too many.

Ruby inclined her head. "You're welcome." She then wordlessly advanced on Weiss and enveloped her in a hug. The heiress, used to such treatment after a year with the affectionate youth as a partner, brought her arms up in a loose embrace in response. She learnt Ruby wouldn't let go until she reciprocated. Granted, that knowledge was gleaned from sober Ruby, but still: Weiss had no doubts she was one and the same, inebriated or not. In this respect, at the very least.

Tremendously reliant on information gathered was she, that Weiss was unprepared for the sloppy peck she received on her cheek, or the weight of a suddenly limp body to rest so heavily on her slender form.

Taking an step back to steady herself and the slack figure she now propped, Weiss felt herself erupt into a fierce blush and involuntarily tense. She fought the almost overwhelming instinct to shove her partner away. Her eyes darted about, uncertainty wracking her as she uneasily held the unconscious Ruby from her body as best and far as she could when her arms were so awkwardly angled.

Blake sympathetically eyed the spectacle. "Want me to take her back?" she offered.

The stunned heiress remained mute.

Blake sighed. She swooped in and hoisted Ruby up into a bridal carry. "Is your door unlocked?" she asked the shellshocked teen.

Weiss nodded absentmindedly.

With her partner's departure, Yang was finally left alone with a not all there heiress. An impish smile crossed her face. "Before you get any crazy ideas, she's still underaged, and I'm _still_ her sister. Do we need to have 'the talk', Schnee?" she teased. "Just the sisterly one. I think you've already covered the _other_ talk." She shot Weiss a suggestive stare.

Weiss looked at Yang blankly. "You're covered in syrup," she stated.

"So? You gonna lick it off me?" Yang goaded. "Ooh Weiss, how naughty. What would Blake and Ruby say?"

"It would leave a trail if you manage to leave," Weiss impassively continued.

"Not if you clean me up." Yang struck a mock seductive pose and broke into giggles.

"We can't have anything incriminating the rest of us," Weiss whispered disquietingly, hand now on reinforced steel, as she had inched back while Yang was amusing herself.

"Wait, what." Yang felt her stomach drop with dread. She forced a broken laugh. "Oh, good one. You almost got me there, Schnee. Now c'mon, quit kidding around and get me out of here."

The door began to creak close. The chilling sound triggered an involuntary gulp from Yang as flashbacks of the last failed foray – and the misadventures leading to it – flitting through her mind. She imagined this was what they meant by one's life 'flashing before their eyes'.

"Hold on, Weiss, _buddy_, we can talk this out–"

"Someone needs to take the fall."

The blonde's eyes widened in horror. "You can't do this to me," she implored. Yang struggled to stand but failed, the thick sticky substance having glued her beloved hair to the floor. She tugged carefully, but it was of no use. There would be no getting out of it unless someone helped her, or she butchered her locks. She cursed her decision to not tie her mane. Yang watched despondently as her only hope slowly disappeared behind the large, ominous door. "Are you serious?! It was a joke! Weiss, no! I'm already on my last warning! WEISS? WEISS! _WEISS!_"

The door slammed shut, lock clicking in place with finality.

A muffled forlorn wail echoed through the halls of Beacon Academy.

Yang learnt an important lesson that night: no one could hold a grudge like Weiss Schnee.

* * *

Ruby winced as her sister fell for the nth time that day. "Shouldn't we be helping her?"

Weiss scoffed. "And get in trouble? No. Professor Ozpin specifically instructed everyone not to help." She cast a sidelong glance at the conflicted Ruby. "Don't worry about it. Yang's resilient – she'll have the pool cleaned by..." Weiss examined the empty olympic-sized pool Yang was scrubbing away in, and they were sitting on the rim of. "Eventually. She'll have it finished eventually."

Blake watched in wry amusement as her partner slipped on her derriere again, dropping both her bucket of water and a string of expletives. "Think of it this way, Ruby," chimed Blake, "at least Professor Port persuaded the rest of the professors not to lynch Yang."

Ruby sighed. "Yeah, I guess."

Weiss looked thoughtful. "Say, Ruby..."

"Hm?"

"Do you remember anything about last night?"

Ruby's eyebrows knitted. "Not really? It gets blurry after Yang convinced me to raid the fridge."

Weiss's eyes narrowed. _'So it was her fault.'_

"Why? Did I do something?"

"No," Weiss replied hurriedly. "Just fell straight to sleep after another one of your episodes."

Ruby looked remorseful. "Sorry you had to deal with that again, Weiss. I didn't think mixing ice-cream and that coffee would trigger–"

"It's fine," Weiss interjected firmly, repressing a tiny blush that threatened to bloom upon noticing Blake's snickering in her peripheral. "Just... never mention it again. Ever."

"Gotcha."

The animalistic growls and liberal use of profanities from Yang a little ways away in the pool grew louder.

"Think she got a major tongue lashing?" Ruby mused, cringing when her sister slipped into a seemingly painful split.

"Judging from those abrasions, it must've been more than just tongue."

Weiss could have sworn she saw Blake smirk after the quip, but when she turned to stare incredulously at the taller girl, Blake's face was smoothed into one of mild concern. Weiss chalked it up to her imagining things after last night's innuendos.

Those innuendos. Even when not in close proximity, Yang had a terrifying influence over them. Weiss shuddered, wondering what else could have percolated from the blonde into the group.

"Cold, Schnee?"

Speak of the devil.

Weiss looked down at the blonde casually leaning against her broom in the middle of the pool. "Shouldn't you be working?"

Yang twisted away and hugged her broom. "Ooh, after all that we've been through? After getting me all... _wet_? Weiss-o cold?"

"Ruined it with the pun," Blake replied. Ruby and Weiss nodded in agreement.

Yang snapped her fingers. "Darn."

"I'm somewhat surprised you haven't tried to maim me yet," Weiss stated.

Yang shrugged one shoulder with a humourless grin. "Get them while they least expect it."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Of course." She stood and brushed down her clothes, glancing at her companions. "We should go."

Yang looked confused. "Go? Where?"

"The three of us," Weiss said, gesturing at the rest of team RWBY, "are meeting team JNPR in town."

"You're abandoning me in my time of need? Again? I mean, I'd expect that from Ditchy McDitcher, but _Blake? Ruby?_"

Ruby had the decency to look guilty.

"Leaving would allow both parties to be more productive in the long run. You would have no excuse to slack off, and we would be better obtaining intelligence and advice from the other teams for our own eventual assignment," Blake justified.

"No excuses! You can't use _logic_ and _reasoning_ when it comes to friendship, Belladonna!"

Blake was unconvinced. "Then what can I use?"

"Magic– no wait don't leave! Come back!" Yang could only watch in dismay as her friends strode away.

"We'll bring something back for you!" Ruby promised.

"You've turned my sister against me! I should have never trusted you, Schnee!" Yang bellowed, shaking her fist at their retreating backs. "I'll have my vengeance! You hear me Weiss?! Vengeance will be mine! The shoe will be on the other foot! The prey will become the predator! The hunted will become the hunter! Or uh, huntress! You can run, but you can't hide! You may have won the battle, but you haven't won the war!"

"Miss Xiao Long."

Yang stiffened. She screwed her eyes shut and slowly turned around, as if willing the speaker to disappear. Tentatively cracking an eye open, she felt her heart seize. The forbidding figure of Glynda Goodwitch unfortunately did not vanish.

Yang gulped and shrank, feeling the headmistress's sinister aura come off in waves, its tendrils striking fear into the blonde's heart.

"_If_ you have time to harass your friends and cause a ruckus, surely must _also_ have time to clean the locker room and sparring grounds once you are done. Is that not right, Miss Xiao Long?"

"R-right."

Glynda tipped her head. "Very good. Carry on, then."

When the headmistress finally left, the undercurrent of menace that stifled the air dispersed. Yang collapsed onto the swimming pool tiles, gasping dramatically.

She stared at the pale blue sky. A lone white cloud drifted by.

It reminded her of–

"_SCHNEEEEEEEE!"_

* * *

**AN:** Is this in-character? I... I don't even know anymore.

For those who asked for... moar, here it is. Uh, don't expect to see me for awhile. Hiatus for real. Still reachable by non-anonymous reviews and PM though.

Port confirmed for best character. Dat ham. Don't think I quite did him justice, but eh. That just calls for more practice. Maybe in the expanded SLIH-verse. /hint

This chapter has had the most rewrites to date. Credits to episode ten and Greykeys for that. Rewriting gave me the opportunity to use 'fiend' and have it actually _flow_. Success!...? Also, on hindsight, I quite like the direction this chapter's taken. It helps segue into the new next chapter. Of Rules and Compromise will be pushed to Chapter 8/9 for continuity's sake, and instead, Chapter 7 will be:

**Nothing Says 'Summer' Like The Beach**

… Yeah, I don't think _anyone_ cares that I've delayed Of Rules in favour of this idea. I certainly don't.

Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and the favourites. (Cody Bowman: VnixxiR. You've probably figured that out, but hey.)

P.S: _High ponytail Blake. Why do people not draw more of this? Just imagine her. Swoon. ... Now imagine her in that turtleneck._


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